Retirement as Meaningful: Positive Retirement Stereotypes Associated with Longevity. (March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ng, Reuben; Allore, Heather G.; Monin, Joan K.; Levy, Becca R.
• Editors: Levy, Sheri R.; Macdonald, Jamie L.; Nelson, Todd D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of social issues. Volume 72:Number 1(2016)
• Page Start: 69
• Page End: 85
• Publication Date: 2016-03
• Subjects: Social problems -- Periodicals; Social psychology -- Periodicals; United States -- Social conditions -- 1945- -- Periodicals; Sociology; Psychology, Social; Problèmes sociaux -- Périodiques; Psychologie sociale -- Périodiques; États-Unis -- Conditions sociales -- 1945- -- Périodiques; Sociale psychologie; Electronic journals; 305
• DOI: 10.1111/josi.12156
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4537

Abstract

Abstract : Studies examining the association between retirement and health have produced mixed results. This may be due to previous studies treating retirement as merely a change in job status rather than a transition associated with stereotypes or societal beliefs (e.g., retirement is a time of mental decline or retirement is a time of growth). To examine whether these stereotypes are associated with health, we studied retirement stereotypes and survival over a 23‐year period among 1, 011 older adults. As predicted by stereotype embodiment theory, it was found that positive stereotypes about physical health during retirement showed a survival advantage of 4.5 years (hazard ratio = 0.88, p = .022) and positive stereotypes about mental health during retirement tended to show a survival advantage of 2.5 years (hazard ratio = 0.87, p = .034). Models adjusted for relevant covariates such as age, gender, race, employment status, functional health, and self‐rated health. These results suggest that retirement preparation could benefit from considering retirement stereotypes.