People over forty feel 20% younger than their age: subjective age across the lifespan

Psychon Bull Rev. 2006 Oct;13(5):776-80. doi: 10.3758/bf03193996.

Abstract

Subjective age--the age people think of themselves asbeing--is measured in a representative Danish sample of 1,470 adults between 20 and 97 years of age through personal, in-home interviews. On the average, adults younger than 25 have older subjective ages, and those older than 25 have younger subjective ages, favoring a lifespan-developmental view over an age-denial view of subjective age. When the discrepancy between subjective and chronological age is calculated as a proportion of chronological age, no increase is seen after age 40; older respondents feel 20% younger than their actual age. Demographic variables (gender, income, and education) account for very little variance in subjective age.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging / psychology*
  • Denial, Psychological*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Individuality
  • Interview, Psychological
  • Judgment*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Reality Testing*
  • Self Concept*
  • Set, Psychology
  • Sweden