The self has long been construed as a rational, cognitive construct; the cognitive decline of dementia has therefore been largely viewed as the loss of self. Through qualitative interviews, we find that persons with dementia strive to maintain a coherent self despite their increasing disability. Using the theories of affect control theory (ACT) and ACT-Self, we illustrate their shift from using denotative (cognitive) meanings to reliance on connotative (affective) meanings in defining the situation and choosing identities to enact. As persons with dementia lose the cognitive ability to access shared definitions and reflected appraisals, their connection to the social world narrows to affective meanings of established sentiments and emotional reactions from others. Our findings underscore the creative agency of self and the limitations of the rationalistic bias of sociology by recognizing an affective self that stands in complement to the generally acknowledged cognitive self.

中文翻译：

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情感自我：生命后期痴呆症中自我情感的恒心

长期以来，自我一直被认为是一种理性的认知建构。因此，痴呆症的认知能力下降在很大程度上被视为自我丧失。通过定性访谈，我们发现痴呆症患者尽管残障程度不断增加，仍努力保持自律。使用情感控制理论（ACT）和ACT-Self的理论，我们说明了它们在定义情况和选择要实施的身份方面从使用表示性（认知）含义向依赖于含义性（情感）含义的转变。由于痴呆症患者失去了访问共同定义和反映评价的认知能力，因此他们与社会世界的联系会缩小为既定情感的情感含义和他人的情感反应。