Busy Ethic: A Validation of a Popular Concept

The busy ethic for retirement, as proposed by Ekerdt (1986, The busy ethic: moral continuity between work and retirement. The Gerontologist, 26(3), 239-244. doi:10.1093/geront/26.3.239), is a prescriptive norm that esteems an occupied, active lifestyle. This research is the first attempt to measure the busy ethic in a standardized way and apply it to a population-based sample. The objectives are to examine whether a busy ethic is affirmed by retirees; to test busy ethic endorsement by different segments of the retired population; and to examine whether endorsement is associated with selected activities.

We developed a scale measuring the busy ethic for a survey among 1,143 Dutch retirees. We tested 2 sets of hypotheses about social factors that might explain subscription to a busy norm: a hypothesis about modernization (i.e., individual autonomy from social control) that would reduce busy ethic endorsement and a hypothesis about differential exposure to expectations.

Greater consent to the busy ethic was associated with circumstances that enable active lifestyles (perceived income adequacy, self-reported health), that raise one's social value (education), and that entail more social connectedness (religious service attendance). Busy ethic agreement was positively associated with engagement in paid work, productive social activities, and group recreation.

We found substantial endorsement of the importance of activity for oneself and others. The idealization of a busy retirement as a good retirement may be a seeming way for retirees to defer old age. At the same time, a prescriptive norm of activation may put strain on older adults who are less capable of conforming.