This guide explores Nancy Bliwise’s influential 1982 PhD dissertation on reminiscence: how adults recall and present their personal pasts. We cover who Nancy Bliwise is and what her doctoral study examined, and why it matters. You’ll find practical information in this guide. Have you ever wondered how and why older adults share stories of their past? Nancy Bliwise dissertation tackled exactly this topic. She brings psychological insight to reminiscence, the act of recalling personal life memories.