Longevity Increased by Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging

This research found that older individuals with more positive self- perceptions of aging, measured up to 23 years earlier, lived 7.5 years longer than those with less positive self-perceptions of aging. This advantage remained after age, gender, socioeconomic status, loneliness, and functional healt...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality and social psychology 2002-08, Vol.83 (2), p.261-270
Main Authors: Levy, Becca R, Slade, Martin D, Kunkel, Suzanne R, Kasl, Stanislav V
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult. Elderly
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Ageing
Aging
Aging - psychology
Attitudes
Biological and medical sciences
Developmental psychology
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gender
Human
Humans
Life Expectancy
Longevity
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Middle Aged
Mortality
Multivariate Analysis
Ohio - epidemiology
Old age
Personality
Proportional Hazards Models
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Self Concept
Self image
Self-Perception
Social cognition
Social psychology
Socioeconomic status
Stereotyping
Survival Analysis
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Summary:This research found that older individuals with more positive self- perceptions of aging, measured up to 23 years earlier, lived 7.5 years longer than those with less positive self-perceptions of aging. This advantage remained after age, gender, socioeconomic status, loneliness, and functional health were included as covariates. It was also found that this effect is partially mediated by will to live. The sample consisted of 660 individuals aged 50 and older who participated in a community-based survey, the Ohio Longitudinal Study of Aging and Retirement (OLSAR). By matching the OLSAR to mortality data recently obtained from the National Death Index, the authors were able to conduct survival analyses. The findings suggest that the self-perceptions of stigmatized groups can influence longevity.
ISSN:0022-3514
1939-1315
DOI:10.1037/0022-3514.83.2.261