Antecedents and Correlates of the Dynamics of Self-Perceptions of Aging Across Adulthood: A Multi-Method Approach

• Antragstellerin: Dr. Dana Kotter-Grühn
• Fachliche Zuordnung: Entwicklungspsychologie und Pädagogische Psychologie
• Förderung: Förderung von 2009 bis 2011
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 109055383

Feeling younger and being satisfied with one’s own age(ing) are important indicators of successful aging. It can be assumed that most (older) persons strive for such positive self-perceptions of aging. The central idea of the research to be proposed in this application is to examine the mechanisms that may underlie and explain changes in self-perceptions of aging across adulthood. Knowledge about these mechanisms can contribute to our understanding of how to promote successful development in a growing population of older persons. Using different methodological approaches (e.g., experimental, daily-diary, and longitudinal studies), the proposed research aims to answer the following questions: (1) Is it possible to manipulate individuals’ self-perceptions of aging through the activation of age stereotypes? (2) Are persons with positive self-perceptions of aging less prone to negative influences of age stereotypes on memory performance? (3) How do self-perceptions of aging vary on a day-to-day basis and how is this fluctuation associated with daily health, stressors, and mood? (4) Do self-regulation skills as well as the occurrence of critical life events or life transitions account for level differences and/or changes in selfperceptions of aging over time?

• DFG-Verfahren: Forschungsstipendien
• Internationaler Bezug: USA
• Gastgeber: Professor Dr. Thomas M. Hess