Forever Young?: A Comparison of Age Identities in the United States and Germany
Open accessAbstract
This study compares age identities of middle-aged and older adults in the United States and Germany. Differences between countries in social systems and cultural meanings of old age are expected to produce different age identities. Data are from respondents between ages 40 and 74 in the United States (MIDUS; n = 2,006) and Germany (German Aging Survey; n = 3,331). Americans and Germans tend to feel younger than their actual age, but the discrepancy is larger among Americans. The bias toward youthful identities is stronger at older ages, particularly among Americans. In both counties, persons with better health have younger identities and role losses are not related to age identities. The study shows that different social and cultural systems produce different subjective experiences of aging. As these differences exist within Western culture, the study makes clear that one should be careful in generalizing findings from aging research across countries.
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People in the United States hold more youthful identities and greater health benefits accrue from them, compared with those in Germany.
“The authors reported that people in the United States hold more youthful identities and greater health benefits accrue from them, compared with those in Germany.”
From Centering Age Inequality: Developing a Sociology-of-Age Framework (2022) · cites this paper as Westerhof et al. 2003
The liberal welfare state regime in the United States places more responsibility on individuals to plan for their later years.
“They argued that the liberal welfare state regime in the United States places more responsibility on individuals to plan for their later years-perhaps increasing the pressure to exaggerate one's youthfulness.”
From Centering Age Inequality: Developing a Sociology-of-Age Framework (2022) · cites this paper as Westerhof et al. 2003
Germany's political regime makes later life well-being more a concern of the state.
“Germany's political regime makes later life well-being more a concern of the state.”
From Centering Age Inequality: Developing a Sociology-of-Age Framework (2022) · cites this paper as Westerhof et al. 2003
Germany's mandatory retirement age may make it more difficult to disregard actual age than in the United States.
“In addition, Germany's mandatory retirement age may make it more difficult to disregard actual age than in the United States, where most occupations have no such requirement.”
From Centering Age Inequality: Developing a Sociology-of-Age Framework (2022) · cites this paper as Westerhof et al. 2003
Cites
Longevity increased by positive self-perceptions of aging
Levy, B. R., Slade, M. D., Kunkel, S. R., & Kasl, S. V. (2002) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.83.2.261 · Cited by 1,508 · see citing works
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The influence of subjective aging on health and longevity: a meta-analysis of longitudinal data
Westerhof, G. J., Miche, M., Brothers, A. F., Barrett, A. E., Diehl, M., Montepare, J. M., Wahl, H.-W., & Wurm, S. (2014) · Psychology and Aging · doi:10.1037/a0038016 · Cited by 403 · see citing works
Self-citationKotter-Grühn, D., Kleinspehn-Ammerlahn, A., Gerstorf, D., & Smith, J. (2009) · Psychology and Aging · doi:10.1037/a0016510 · Cited by 347 · see citing works
Centering Age Inequality: Developing a Sociology-of-Age Framework
Barrett, A. E. (2022) · Annual Review of Sociology · doi:10.1146/annurev-soc-083121-043741 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Westerhof, G. J., Barrett, A. E., & Steverink, N.
- Affiliations
- Radboud University Nijmegen (NL)
- Florida State University (US)
- University of Groningen (NL)
- Venue
- Research on Aging
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2003-07
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 366-383
- ISSN
- 0164-0275 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-7573
- OpenAlex
- W2124591674
- Cited by
- 128
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 2.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- research.rug.nl
- Locations
- Research on Aging (publishedVersion)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Social Sciences › Demography › Retirement, Disability, and Employment
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
- Keywords
- age identity, subjective age, middle-aged adults, older adults, cross-national comparison, United States, Germany, health and aging, role loss, subjective experience of aging
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