Maintaining self-rated health through social comparison in old age

Document Type

Journal article

Source Publication

Journals of Gerontology. Series B: Psychological Sciences & Social Sciences

Publication Date

9-1-2007

Volume

62B

Issue

5

First Page

277

Last Page

285

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Abstract

When self-related health (SRH) is under threat, people may use self-enhancement through social comparison to buffer against the threat. Because SRH is under greater threat among older than among younger adults, the benefit of social comparison on SRH may be greater for them. To test this, Study 1 examined ratings on physical attributes for self and ‘someone of the same age’ among 592 Hong Kong Chinese, across young, middle, and old age. Findings suggested that perceiving one’s physical self as better than others produced a lager gain in self-rated health in older than in younger people. Study 2 showed longitudinally that, among older adults, an increase in physical symptoms over time was associated with a worsening SRH, which was then positively associated with physical self-enhancement. This improved physical self in turn partially recovered the damage to SRH.

DOI

10.1093/geronb/62.5.P277

Print ISSN

10795014

E-ISSN

17585368

Language

English

Recommended Citation

Cheng, S. T., Fung, H., & Chan, A. (2007). Maintaining self-rated health through social comparison in old age. Journals of Gerontology. Series B: Psychological Sciences & Social Sciences, 62B(5), 277-285. doi: 10.1093/geronb/62.5.P277

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