Views on Aging Throughout the Adult Lifespan

Abstract: Views on aging (VoA) have been comprehensively examined in the health context, whereas little is known about how VoA vary between age groups. Two representative surveys (WIdO survey: N = 3,000, 18–39 years; German Ageing Survey: N = 4,349, 40–85 years) used the same five scales to measure VoA. We found a tipping point between feeling older than one’s chronological age and feeling younger at age 24.6. Gain-related perceptions of aging were high in all age groups, and loss-based perceptions increased with advancing age. Only after the age of 77 did participants count themselves in the group of “old people.” These findings underscore the importance of conceptualizing VoA as a lifespan construct and extend earlier studies with either younger or older adults.