Self-perceptions of aging: Do subjective age and satisfaction with aging change during old age? The Journals of Gerontology

The present study examined time-related change in felt age, physical age, and satisfaction with aging in old age and covariates of this change. Using 6-year-longitudinal data from the Berlin Aging Study (age range = 70–104 years), we found that individuals ’ felt age remained on average about 13 years below their actual age over time, whereas they reported a decreasing discrepancy between physical and actual age and a decrease in aging satisfaction over time. After we controlled for level differences, a differential pattern of individual differences in change appeared for the three dimensions: Age contributed to a greater decline in aging satisfaction but an increase in the discrepancy of felt age. A higher number of illnesses at baseline attenuated change in felt age discrepancy. Future research on change of self-perceptions of aging will provide insight into mechanisms of resilience of the aging self in later life. Key Words: Self-perception of aging—Subjective age—Age identity—Satisfaction with aging—Berlin Aging Study— Differential aging—Resilience of the older self. P REVIOUS research suggests that, on average and despitethe high prevalence of negative age-related changes, older people feel younger than they actually are and generally are satisfied with their aging (Gana, Alaphilippe, & Bailly, 2004; Montepare & Lachman, 1989; Rubin & Berntsen, 2006)