JOURNEY THROUGH FIELDS OF AGEING Perceptions, experiences and representations in different environmental contexts, in Italy and Spain

Today more than ever, ageing represents not only a demographic challenge, but also a psycho-social one. In fact, conscious of the quantitative substance of phenomenon it is more than important how to add quality to a much longer present life than in the past. Hence, issue should be coped with in terms of subjective well-being and life environment as well. We conducted two researches. In the first one, we aimed at deepening ageing from the elderly people s point of view; firstly, we conducted a study involving 220 elderly people who lived in Sicily (Italy); secondly, we replicated the same study in a different context, involving 120 elderly people who lived in Extremadura (Spain). In the second research, we were interested in exploring ageing and elderly from younger people s point of view. Also in this case, primarily we conducted a study involving university students who lived in Sicily and then, the same study was replicated involving university students who lived in Extremadura. Taken together, researches showed that a general social context that welcomes seniors may result in individuals who live their age better and this would be true also for the elderly. In other words, a favorable life environment, both in objective and subjective and inter-subjective terms may result in elderly individuals having a better self-perception.