Résumé
Subjective age (how old or young individuals feel relative to their chronological age) is gaining popularity in gerontology and related disciplines because of its relation with biopsychosocial processes of aging. Evidence from Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) and other cohorts is reviewed on the predictors and outcomes of subjective age. An older subjective age is predicted by age discrimination, negative changes in one’s social and family networks, lower well-being and perceived control, poor physical conditions and more chronic health problems. Subjective age is also predictive of a range of crucial outcomes. Indeed, feeling younger is related to better physical and mental health, cognition, more favorable personality changes, lower risk of incident hospitalization, and longevity. These findings suggest that the subjective experience of age is a biopsychosocial marker of aging with promise as a predictor of crucial age-related outcomes, beyond chronological age.