SOCIAL ROLES AND PERSONALITY IN LATER LIFE

Despite considerable stability of the Big Five personality traits, there is evidence for personality plasticity and change across the lifespan. In younger years, the investment in social roles, such as entering worklife or starting a family has been shown to drive personality change. With regard to personality in later life, the investigation of social roles has so far been neglected. A questionnaire was developed to assess a large number of social roles that can be assumed in the second half of life. N = 306 participants aged 50 to 86 years reported on their social roles and rated their personality traits. Results show that assuming and investing in certain social roles (e.g. friend, retiree, volunteer) mediated the effects of age on the Big Five, especially for the oldest participants and in the domains openness and extraversion. The findings support the importance of social roles for personality also in later life

VIEWS ON AGING: NEW PERSPECTIVES FOR THEORY AND RESEARCH

Over the past 20 years, research on views on aging has substantiated their importance for successful development and sustained quality of life over the full length of the life span. However, a deep understanding of the origins of views on aging and the underlying processes of their lifespan development and manifestation is lacking. Since 2017, the scientific network “Images of Aging” funded by the German Research Foundation (http://www.health.uni-konstanz.de/images-of-aging) assembles national and international renowned experts in the field. The network engages in empirical clarifications on both the distinctness and validity of the construct (contribution of Klusmann et al.) as well as in critically reviewing terminology and measures of views on aging (contribution of Notthoff et al.). The network aims to help clarifying the dynamic interplay of determinants and outcomes in the context of health (contribution of Wolff et al.) as well as disentangling intra- and intergenerational stereotypic perceptions (contribution of Kornadt et al.). Both of these are understudied issues with highly practical implications for two of the largest demographic challenges: shaping the coexistence of generations as well as providing adequate health care supply. Integrating both pertinent theoretical approaches and empirical findings the network regards views on aging under a lifespan perspective. Recently, it suggested three core principles of views on aging regarding lifelong bio-psycho-social development, their multidimensional nature, and their impact across life. These considerations provide a background for an integrative discussion of the symposium’s contributions

Social Roles, Subjective Age, and Gender: Exploring the Links in Later Life

Subjective age (SA) is strongly linked to positive developmental outcomes and successful aging. The social roles people assume are supposed to impact SA, since they incorporate age-graded social experiences and age-stereotypic role expectations. Social roles are also strongly gendered, providing the opportunity to understand gender-specific processes of SA. This study investigates a broad range of social roles and their relation to older men and women’s SA in later life. N = 285 participants aged 50 to 86 years (Mage = 65.04, SD = 8.88) reported on 19 social roles and their SA. Higher commitment to social roles of continued development and engagement was related to a younger subjective age, above and beyond sociodemographic variables, physical and mental health, but only for younger men. Commitment to family roles was related to a younger subjective age only for older men. Implications for the gender-specific understanding of antecedents of SA are discussed

A chip off the old block? The relationship of family factors and young adults’ views on aging.

Views on aging (VoA), such as self-perceptions of aging or age stereotypes are generated in early childhood and continue to develop throughout the entire lifespan. The ideas a person has about their own aging and aging in general influence their behavior towards older persons as well as their own actual aging, which is why VoA are already important in adolescence and young adulthood. The current study investigates VoA of young adults in different domains (continued growth, physical losses, social losses) and how different family aspects are related to VoA. From February to March 2021, N = 305 young adults [aged 18 - 30 years, Mage(SD) = 22.20(2.60)] participated in an online survey, in which, in addition to sociodemographic variables and family aspects (contact with grandparents, family age climate, i.e. the frequency and valence of talking about age in the family), self-perceptions of aging, age stereotypes, and the young adults’ ratings of their parents' VoA were assessed. The results of stepwise regression analyses predicting the young adults’ VoA, revealed significant associations between the quality of contact with grandparents and the self-perceptions of aging of young adults. However, the frequency of contact was neither related to young adults’ self-perceptions of aging nor age stereotypes. Grandparents' health status emerged as a significant moderator between the relationship of contact quality and the young adults’ self-perceptions of aging as continued growth and physical decline. Family climate was also found to be significantly related to young adults' self-perceptions of aging and age stereotypes. Similarities regarding VoA within the family were demonstrated, based on proxy report from the respondents. The results underline the importance of family aspects for the development of VoA in young adulthood, and the significance of interventions targeting these factors to combat ageism

ATTITUDES TOWARD OWN AGING AND PERSONALITY IN LATER LIFE: EXAMINATION OF BIDIRECTIONALITY OVER 20 YEARS

Big Five personality traits are assumed to be linked with attitudes toward own aging (ATOA). Both constructs have central importance for the aging process, it is thus important to comprehensively address their mutual connection over time. We used data from the ILSE study, a longitudinal study with four measurement occasions, spanning 20 years and including two participant cohorts (n = 501; born 1950-52 and n = 500; born 1930-32). Dual latent change score models showed that personality was longitudinally related to change in ATOA: Lower Neuroticism, higher Conscientiousness, and higher Openness predicted more positive attitudes; the effect for Extraversion varied by time. Furthermore, the role of personality seems to be confined to certain sensitive periods in midlife and early old age. ATOA had only marginal longitudinal impact on personality. Our results shed light on the developmental co-dynamics of personality and subjective perceptions of aging across the second half of life

YOUNG PEOPLE FEEL WISE, OLD PEOPLE FEEL ENERGETIC: COMPARING AGE STEREOTYPES AND SELF-EVALUATIONS ACROSS ADULTHOOD

Using questionnaire data from the MIDUS study (N=6.325) we examined the extent to which people in their late 20s, 40s, and 60s think that positive stereotypic “old” and “young” characteristics describe themselves, their age peers, and other age groups. A constellation of “old” characteristics (e.g., wise, caring, calm) was seen as more descriptive of older adults, while a constellation of “young” characteristics (e.g., healthy, energetic) was seen as more descriptive of younger adults. Self-evaluations were highly positive and largely consistent across age groups. Compared to their age peers, younger adults saw themselves as having as many positive “young” characteristics but more positive “old” characteristics whereas older adults saw themselves as having more positive “young” characteristics but fewer positive “old” characteristics. The results support the stability of the aging self despite the existence of age stereotypes and the role of negative age stereotypes as a frame of reference for making self-evaluations

How to: 6 Impulse für vielfältigere Altersbilder

Angestoßen vom wissenschaftlichen Netzwerk „Altersbilder“ haben wir – Wissenschaftler:innen, Praktiker:innen und Stake- holder:innen – diese Impulse für vielfältige Altersbilder in einem Workshop im Dezember 2022 entwickelt. Wir verstehen sie als Selbstverpflichtung und rufen dazu auf, sich anzuschließen und die Impulse in Denken, Entscheiden und Handeln zu überführen