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Denial of aging: age identification and reference group orientations
1Iowa State Univ., Ames 50011.
Journal of Gerontology
|September 1, 1978
Summary
Many older adults resist identifying as "old," preferring terms like middle-aged or elderly. Favorable comparisons to peers correlate with younger self-perceptions, highlighting the role of reference groups in aging identity.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Late adulthood often involves significant psychological adjustments.
- Self-perception of age (age-identity) is a key aspect of psychological adaptation in later life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how individuals aged 70 and older perceive their age identity over a 10-year period.
- To examine the role of comparative reference groups in shaping age-identity and potentially facilitating aging denial.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study tracking age-identities of individuals aged 70+ over a decade.
- Analysis of self-evaluations relative to age peers and "positional" variables.
Main Results:
- Initially, many participants rejected the "old" label, identifying as middle-aged or elderly.
- Over time, acknowledgment of being old increased, but a majority still used alternative self-definitions.
- Positive self-evaluations compared to age peers were significantly correlated with younger self-images.
Conclusions:
- A reference-group perspective is valuable for understanding age-identity in later life.
- Comparative evaluations with peers are as influential as "positional" factors in determining age-identity.
- This framework helps explain psychological adaptations to changing roles in late life.