[Aging as an effect of socialization through work (author's transl)]

It is hypothesized that there is a parallel between psychological change in the course of aging and effects of socialization through work, and that therefore such change in partially produced by work experience. In support of this thesis, it is necessary to combine three fields of research: aging, socialization/developmental psychology, and sociology/psychology of work. The life-time dimension of socialization through, work can be specified on three levels: (1) the cumulation over time of every-day (repetitive) work experiences; (2) the age-specific distribution and consequences of substantial changes in the conditions of working (as a result of technical or economic changes); (3) the temporal structure of coping with work (subjective economy of time). It is plausible to assume that the negative effects of socialization through work increase in the second half of the working-life, and that, therefore, the "middle years" present a crucial phase in the aging process (albeit with differential impact for the different cohorts).