The effects of age stereotypes on physical and mental health are mediated by self-perceptions of aging

in Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences (in press)

Examining the Relation Among Subjective Age and Working Memory in Old Age on a High-Frequency Basis Across 7 Days

in Innovation in Aging (2020), 4(Supplement_1), 598-598

While increasing longitudinal evidence suggests that negative age views accelerate cognitive decline and increase dementia risk, we know little about such co-variance dynamics on a daily basis. We make ... [more ▼]

While increasing longitudinal evidence suggests that negative age views accelerate cognitive decline and increase dementia risk, we know little about such co-variance dynamics on a daily basis. We make use of subjective age and working memory performance data obtained six times a day over seven consecutive days as people went about their daily routines from 123 young-old (aged 66-69 years, 47.2% women) and 42 old-old (aged 86-90 years, 55.8% women) adults. Notably, multilevel models revealed considerably-sized short-term intra-individual variation of subjective age and working memory within days and these short-term within-day fluctuations in subjective age and working memory were coupled as expected. Hence, increased subjective age went along with lowered working memory confirming previous research. However, the respective between-day associations appeared reversed. Given this evidence of correlated short-term variability, we also discuss implications of different change dynamics that might explain moment-to-moment versus day-to-day associations between subjective age and working memory. [less ▲]

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

in Innovation in Aging (2019), 3(Supplement_1), 385-385

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 ... [more ▼]

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. [less ▲]

How do views on aging affect health outcomes in adulthood and late life? Explanations for an established connection

in DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW (2017), 46

Personal views on aging, such as age stereotypes and subjective aging, can affect various health outcomes in later life. For the past 20 years or so, a large body of experimental and longitudinal work has ... [more ▼]

Personal views on aging, such as age stereotypes and subjective aging, can affect various health outcomes in later life. For the past 20 years or so, a large body of experimental and longitudinal work has provided ample evidence for this connection. Thus, it seems timely to better understand the pathways of this linkage. The majority of existing studies has either focused on age stereotypes or subjective aging. This theoretical paper provides a systematic comparison of major theoretical approaches that offer explanations through which different views on aging may affect health. After a short review of findings on the short- and long-term effects of different views on aging, we describe theoretical approaches that provide explanations of underlying mechanisms for the effect of both uni- and multidimensional views on aging on health outcomes. We compare the specific characteristics of these approaches, provide a heuristic framework and outline recommendations for future research routes. A better understanding of the impact of different views on aging on health outcomes is not only relevant for basic research in life-span developmental psychology, geropsychology and health psychology, it has also implications for intervention research and public health practices. (C) 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. [less ▲]