Research on Aging

 

Advanced Search

Journal Navigation

Journal Home

Subscriptions

Archive

Contact Us

Table of Contents

The Diabetes Educator

Click here for more information

Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to Saved Citations
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Request Reprints
Right arrow Add to My Marked Citations
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Westerhof, G. J.
Right arrow Articles by Steverink, N.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati  
What's this?
Research on Aging, Vol. 25, No. 4, 366-383 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/0164027503025004002
© 2003 SAGE Publications

Forever Young?

A Comparison of Age Identities in the United States and Germany

Gerben J. Westerhof

University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands

Anne E. Barrett

Florida State University

Nardi Steverink

University of Groningen, the Netherlands

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.

Key Words: age identity • subjective age • cross-cultural comparison • United States • Germany


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J Health PsycholHome page
S. Boehmer
Relationships between Felt Age and Perceived Disability, Satisfaction with Recovery, Self-efficacy Beliefs and Coping Strategies
J Health Psychol, November 1, 2007; 12(6): 895 - 906.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci.Home page
P. DEMAKAKOS, E. GJONCA, and J. NAZROO
Age Identity, Age Perceptions, and Health: Evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., October 1, 2007; 1114(1): 279 - 287.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Gerontol. B Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci.Home page
G. J. Westerhof and A. E. Barrett
Age Identity and Subjective Well-Being: A Comparison of the United States and Germany
J. Gerontol. B. Psychol. Sci. Soc. Sci., May 1, 2005; 60(3): S129 - S136.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]