Subjective Views of Aging: The Utility of Studying Multiple Time Metrics

Cohn‐Schwartz, Ella; Gerstorf, Denis

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-11073-3_10

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 64 publications

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“…Does endorsing that other older adults should remain healthy and behave altruistically also mean that older adults endorse these behavioral standards for themselves? It has been proposed that PVoA targeting oneself as an older adult are influenced by PVoA targeting other older adults (Ayalon, 2022; Cohn-Schwartz & Gerstorf, 2022). Also, many older adults engage with prescriptive demands (Tomasik & Silbereisen, 2014).…”

Section: Active Aging and Altruistic Disengagementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Manipulating prescriptive views of active aging and altruistic disengagement.

Wirth¹,

Couto²,

Pavlova³

et al. 2023

Psychology and Aging

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Older adults are faced with prescriptions to remain fit and socially engaged (active aging) or limit consumption of social resources (altruistic disengagement), and violations of these may result in backlash and marginalization. Despite such negative consequences that prescriptive views of aging (PVoA) may have for older adults, whether PVoA endorsement is modifiable is still to be examined. Thus, in our study, we investigated the malleability of PVoA endorsement. Further, we explored whether malleability of PVoA endorsement generalizes across specific age norms (active aging and altruistic disengagement), life domains (health and social), and targets (others and self). We conducted two preregistered experiments in which participants reflected on agreeing or disagreeing with PVoA. In Experiment 1, 536 adults (50–89 years) reflected on their personal agreement or disagreement with PVoA. In Experiment 2, 435 adults (50–87 years) reflected on agreement with PVoA in society. Reflecting on agreement changed endorsement of PVoA in both experiments: Participants who reflected on agreement reported higher endorsement of PVoA, whereas participants who reflected on disagreement reported lower endorsement. Our results indicated that the cognitive representation of PVoA is norm and domain specific: The endorsement effect did not transfer from active aging to altruistic disengagement (or vice versa) nor across health and social domains. Further, participants set the same prescriptions for their behavior as they set for others as shown by a transfer between endorsement of other- to self-related PVoA. Our findings attest to the complexity and specificity of PVoA and offer important insights for designing interventions.

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Section: Active Aging and Altruistic Disengagementmentioning

confidence: 99%