Forecasting life satisfaction across adulthood: Benefits of seeing a dark future?

Lang F, Weiß D, Gerstorf D, Wagner GG (2013)

Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2013

Journal

Psychology and Aging American Psychological Association

Original Authors: Lang Frieder R., Weiss D., Gerstorf D., Wagner G.G.

Publisher: American Psychological Association

Book Volume: 28

Pages Range: 249-261

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1037/a0030797

Abstract

Anticipating one's future self is a unique human capacity that contributes importantly to adaptation and health throughout adulthood and old age. Using the adult life span sample of the national German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP; N > 10,000, age range 18 to 96 years), we investigated age-differential stability, correlates, and outcomes of accuracy in anticipation of future life satisfaction across 6 subsequent 5-year time intervals. As expected, we observed few age differences in current life satisfaction but stronger age differences in future expectations: Younger adults anticipated improved future life satisfaction, overestimating their actual life satisfaction 5 years later. By contrast, older adults were more pessimistic about the future, generally underestimating their actual life satisfaction after 5 years. Such age differences persisted above and beyond the effects of self-rated health and income. Survival analyses revealed that, in later adulthood, underestimating one's life satisfaction 5 years later was related to lower hazard ratios for disability (n = 735 became disabled) and mortality (n = 879 died) across 10 or more years, even after controlling for age, sex, education, income, and self-rated health. Findings suggest that older adults are more likely to underestimate their life satisfaction in the future and that such underestimation was associated with positive health outcomes. © 2013 American Psychological Association.

Authors with CRIS profile

Frieder Lang Lehrstuhl für Psychogerontologie

Involved external institutions

Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, DIW Berlin DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Lang, F., Weiß, D., Gerstorf, D., & Wagner, G.G. (2013). Forecasting life satisfaction across adulthood: Benefits of seeing a dark future? Psychology and Aging, 28(1), 249-261. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0030797

MLA:

Lang, Frieder, et al. "Forecasting life satisfaction across adulthood: Benefits of seeing a dark future?" Psychology and Aging 28.1 (2013): 249-261.

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