Change in Perceived Age in Middle and Later Life

• Published in: International journal of aging & human development Vol. 76; no. 3; pp. 251 - 267
• Main Author: Ward, Russell A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-01-2013; Baywood Publishing Company, Inc; Baywood
• Subjects: Adult. Elderly; Adults; Age; Age Differences; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Case Studies; Correlation; Developmental psychology; Educational Attainment; Emotions; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health; Human Development; Humans; Life Change Events; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Measurement; Middle Aged; National Surveys; Older Adults; Predictor Variables; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Quality of Life - psychology; Regression Analysis; Self Efficacy; Sex Factors; Social Class; Social Perception; Socioeconomic Status; Surveys and Questionnaires; Trend Analysis; United States of America; Value of Life; Human; Self perception; Middle age; Elderly; Age; Subjective evaluation
• ISSN: 0091-4150; 1541-3535
• DOI: 10.2190/AG.76.3.e

Analyses examine change in the age people “feel” (felt age) and “would like to be” (ideal age) (relative to current age) in middle and later life. Data are from 1,815 respondents in two waves (1995–96, 2004–06) of the Midlife in the United States Survey (MIDUS) who were age 40+ at Wave 1. In aggregate, people feel about the same amount younger but become increasingly distant from preferred age. Favorable health trends between waves and better expected future health are related to younger felt age, cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Health is not related to ideal age, but education and (for respondents younger than 60) better financial expectations are associated with less youthful ideal age. Patterns for felt age appear to reflect images of later life as a time of physical decline, whereas ideal age appears to be shaped more by socioeconomic considerations.