Open AccessThe Effects of Age Stereotypes on Physical and Mental Health Are Mediated by Self-perceptions of Aging
Author(s) -
Allyson Brothers,
Anna E. Kornadt,
Abigail Nehrkorn-Bailey,
HansWerner Wahl,
Manfred Diehl
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the journals of gerontology series b
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.578
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1758-5368
pISSN - 1079-5014
DOI - 10.1093/geronb/gbaa176
Subject(s) - perception , psychology , mental health , successful aging , physical health , developmental psychology , healthy aging , social psychology , clinical psychology , cognitive psychology , gerontology , medicine , psychotherapist , neuroscience
Although the evidence linking views on aging (VoA) with aging outcomes is robust, little is known about how different types of VoA may interact to influence such outcomes. Therefore, this study examined two types of VoA, age stereotypes (AS), representing general VoA, and self-perceptions of aging (SPA), representing personal VoA. We operationalized SPA in terms of awareness of age-related change (AARC), distinguishing between gain- and loss-related SPA (e.g., awareness of positive and negative age-related changes, respectively). Based on theoretical reasoning, we hypothesized that AS would be an antecedent of SPA, and that the effect of AS on physical and mental health would be mediated by SPA.