Worse or even better than expected? Outcome expectancies and behavioral experiences in the context of physical activity among cancer patients

Expectancies of cancer patients regarding their physical activity before they took part in a behavior change intervention were compared with their experiences during the intervention period. A total of 66 cancer patients completed either a randomly assigned 4-week physical activity or a stress-management counseling intervention. On average, participants had positive expectancies toward physical activity. Outcome expectancies predicted outcomes (e.g. physical activity) at a 10-week follow-up. Outcome realization (discrepancy between expectancies and experiences) further increased explained variance in self-efficacy and physical activity enjoyment. In conclusion, not only initial outcome expectancies but also their realizations seem to be important for subsequent behavior and cognitions

Awareness of age-related change in the context of major life events

Although gains and losses are an integral part of human development, the experience of change and readjustment that often comes with major life events may be particularly influential for an individual's subjective aging experience and awareness of age-related change (AARC). Thus, this study focused on the role of life events in the domains of family and health for an individual's awareness of age-related gains and losses. Specifically, we differentiated between the experience of specific life events (e.g., entering a new romantic relationship; hospital stay) and the cumulative experience of multiple life events. Furthermore, we differentiated between life events experienced at an expected time in life and life events experienced relatively early or relatively late compared to established social norms. Data came from the Innovation Sample of the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP-IS) and consisted of 1,612 participants aged 16 to 93 years (M = 54.1; SD = 18.2). Life events were assessed annually and retrospectively for the last 2 years. Propensity score matching provided evidence for an association of specific family life events and a higher awareness of age-related gains, as well as specific health life events and a higher awareness of age-related losses. Results furthermore indicated that the cumulative experience of family life events was associated with a higher awareness of age-related gains. Conversely, the cumulative experience of health events was associated with higher awareness of both age-related losses and age-related gains. Moreover, it was not only life events happening at an expected age, but also those happening relatively early and particularly those happening late in life, which were associated with AARC. In summary, life events and the change they may bring seem to be reflected in individuals' awareness of age-related losses and awareness of age-related gains.Peer Reviewe

The Effective Use of Economics in the EU Digital Markets Act

Economic thinking and analysis lie at the heart of the objectives and the design of the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA). However, the design of the DMA reflects a very deliberate—and reasonable—intention to ensure clarity, speed, administrability, and enforceability. In doing so, this pro-competitive regulation omits several elements of standard competition law where economics has typically played a key role. Nonetheless, we believe that economic insights and analysis—including behavioural economic thinking—will continue to play an important role in enabling the DMA to achieve its ambitious and laudable goals, albeit in a somewhat different way

Successful Aging and Subjective Aging: Toward a Framework to Research a Neglected Connection

peer reviewedResearch related to subjective aging, which describes how individuals perceive, interpret and evaluate their own aging, has substantially grown in the past two decades. Evidence from longitudinal studies shows that subjective aging predicts health, quality of life, and functioning in later life. However, the existing literature on successful aging has mostly neglected the role of subjective aging. This paper proposes an extended framework of successful aging linking subjective aging conceptually and empirically to Rowe and Kahn’s (1997) three original key criteria of successful aging (i.e., avoiding disease and disability, maintaining high cognitive and physical function, and engagement with life). A particular focus is placed on subjective aging as an antecedent of successful aging. A review of the empirical subjective aging literature shows that subjective aging concepts consistently predict all three of Rowe and Kahn’s criteria of successful aging. Mechanisms underlying these relations are discussed at three levels, namely psychological, behavioral, and physiological pathways. The proposed addition also takes into consideration the interconnections between subjective aging and successful aging throughout the lifespan and across historical time. Finally, we discuss the importance of facilitating successful aging through systematic interventions that support more positive views of aging at the individual and societal level