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Age and subjective well-being revisited: a discrepancy perspective
1Department of Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. tak.cheng@cityu.edu.hk
Psychology and Aging
|September 24, 2004
Summary
As people age, changes in goal discrepancies (GDs) fully explain shifts in life satisfaction and positive feelings, and partly explain negative feelings, impacting overall well-being.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Gerontology
- Sociology
Background:
- Subjective well-being (SWB) is influenced by an individual's goals and their alignment with reality.
- Goal discrepancies (GDs) represent the gap between desired and actual outcomes, potentially affecting psychological states.
- Age-related changes in life circumstances may alter the nature and impact of GDs on SWB.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the hypothesis that age-related effects on subjective well-being are mediated by goal discrepancies (GDs).
- To examine how different categories of GDs (relationships, health, others) change with age.
- To determine the differential impact of various GDs on SWB across the lifespan.
Main Methods:
- Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the relationships between age, GDs, and SWB.
- Six specific GDs were categorized into relationships, health, and others.
- Statistical analyses assessed the mediating role of GDs in the age-SWB relationship.
Main Results:
- GDs related to relationships and material possessions decreased with age, while health-related GDs increased.
- Health GDs had a less pronounced effect on SWB compared to GDs in relationships and other domains.
- The net effect of all GDs on well-being was positive.
Conclusions:
- Age-related variations in GDs fully account for changes in life satisfaction and positive affect.
- GDs partially explain age-related trends in negative affect.
- The study highlights the crucial role of goal adjustment in maintaining SWB throughout aging.