Age-Related Attributions of Experienced Changes in Life: Origins and Implications

0545536 - PSÚ 2022 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Rothermund, K. - de Paula Couto, M.C.P. - Fung, H.H. - Graf, Sylvie - Hess, T.M. - Liou, S. - Nikitin, J.
Age-Related Attributions of Experienced Changes in Life: Origins and Implications.
Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. Roč. 76, č. 5 (2021), s. 881-893. ISSN 1079-5014. E-ISSN 1758-5368
Institutional support: RVO:68081740
Keywords : Awareness of age-related change * Life satisfaction * Perceived control * Subjective aging * Views on aging
OECD category: Psychology (including human - machine relations)
Impact factor: 4.942, year: 2021
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://academic.oup.com/psychsocgerontology/article-abstract/76/5/881/5903622?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Objectives: Attributing life changes to age represents a core marker of the subjective experience of aging. The aims of our study were to investigate views on aging (VA) as origins of age-related attributions of life changes and to investigate the implications of these age-related attributions for personal control (PC) and life satisfaction (LS). Methods: Life changes and the attribution of life changes to age were independently assessed on a large international sample of older adults (N = 2,900, age range 40-90 years) from the Ageing as Future project. The valence of VA, PC, and LS were also assessed to investigate possible determinants (VA) and consequences (PC and LS) of age-related attributions of life changes. Results: Attributions to age were shown to depend on the valence of experienced life changes, with more negative changes being linked to more age-related attributions. This relation was moderated by the valence of personally held VA, with more negative VA amplifying the relation between negative life changes and age-related attributions. Age-related attributions predicted reduced PC and lower LS and were found to exacerbate the effects of negative life changes on LS, especially for the older cohorts of our sample. Discussion: Our findings help to better understand what determines age-related attributions of life changes and highlight the negative consequences of attributing them to aging. Age-related attributions of change are a major factor that worsens the subjective aging experience. Methodologically, our study emphasizes the necessity to separately assess changes and their attributions to age.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0322238