Possible selves and perceived health in older adults and college students

Two studies were conducted to assess motivational aspects of the self by measuring hoped-for and feared possible selves among a sample of older adults and college students. It was predicted that health-related possible selves would be predominant among older adults, but not college students, and that self-regulatory aspects of possible selves would be related to perceived health. Data were collected through interviews and questionnaires. Older adults were significantly more likely to have possible selves in the realm of health than were college students. Regression analyses with the older sample indicate that outcome expectancy for a hoped-for self was positively related to perceived health, whereas amount of time spent thinking about a hoped-for possible self was negatively related to perceived health. However, these relationships were not significant when evaluated in relation to a feared possible self, indicating that there may be differences in the way self-regulatory processes operate in service of positive, as opposed to negative, goals for the self. Results are discussed with reference to theoretical models of self-efficacy and motivation over the life span.