Mapping the Future of Reminiscence: A Conceptual Guide for Research and Practice

Nearly 50 years after Butler’s seminal 1963 contribution, the field of reminiscence and life review is entering a more mature stage. Isolated examples of increasingly sophisticated studies have recently emerged that can serve as a sound, cumulative data base. However, the field lacks an overarching conceptual model describing emerging trends, neglected domains, and key linkages among component parts. In the present article, the authors selectively, yet critically, review prior limitations and promising developments and then describe a comprehensive, multifaceted conceptual model that can guide future research and practice. The authors initially situate their model within a particular theoretical orientation (i.e., life-span psychology). They then describe a heuristic model that identifies and discusses triggers, modes, contexts, moderators, functions, and outcomes. Finally, the authors illustrate how these interactive factors influence both theoretical and applied areas.