By Julie E 
Photo Credit (Freepik)
According to nearly 30,000 participants, the age of middle age is thirty. Photo credit: Shutterstock
Despite higher life expectancies, the most extensive examination of people’s perceptions of aging has revealed biased beliefs about aging.
Once you hit 40, does life truly start? Has 50 replaced 30? The response seems to be affirmative for those falling into these age brackets.
However, reaching the age of fifty is like reaching old age for young folks in their twenties and teen years.
A recent survey of almost 500,000 Americans reveals how biased perceptions of aging can be, especially among the younger generation. At a time when people are living longer than in the past, researchers from Stanford, Michigan State, and the University of St. Thomas came up with the study. U.S. life expectancy increased by roughly nine years from 1965 to 2015, reaching approximately 79 years.
On the other hand, reality may be outpacing perception. According to nearly 30,000 participants, the age of middle age is thirty.
Assistant psychology professor William Chopik of Michigan State University and lead investigator of the study expressed his curiosity regarding the widespread bias against aging among young persons.
With 502,548 online responses spanning the ages of 10 to 89, the study is the biggest examination of age perceptions to this point, as published in Frontiers in Psychology.
Importantly, people’s views on old age evolve with time. In essence, we feel younger as we age.
“Our perceptions of aging aren’t static—they change as we change ourselves,” Chopik said, describing the study’s most intriguing conclusion. “As you age, your perception of what is considered old changes.”
According to him, some of this is comprehensible. Because it hurts to think about being old, most people see old age negatively and try to escape it.
“However, it’s not surprising that older adults lead more fulfilling lives and, according to some research, may even be happier than their younger counterparts,” Chopik pointed out.
The responses from the various age groups regarding the desired duration of life were quite varied. The ideal life expectancy for those in their 30s and 40s fell to around 88 years, compared to the ideal life expectancy of children and young people, who aspired to live into their early 90s. However, the ideal age began to rise gradually with 50-year-olds and reached approximately 93 with 80-year-olds.