When a bright future is in mind: Young adults’ positive views on aging contribute to resilience through enhanced sense of control

Abstract

Extensive research has revealed that older adults’ views on aging are influential to their well-being, but fewer studies have examined the effects of young adults’ views on aging. Individuals’ views on aging form as early as childhood. Reflecting a positive outlook about one's own future, we expect young adults’ positive views on aging to contribute to their resilience level, with sense of control mediating the effect. Two studies were conducted with two different samples of Chinese young adults. Study 1 assessed attitudes toward older adults as the indicator of views on aging and found that more positive attitudes toward older adults were related to a higher level of resilience, and the effect was mediated by a stronger sense of control. Study 2 assessed four different indicators of views on aging (attitudes toward older adults, aging anxiety, hostile ageism, and benevolent ageism). Except for benevolent ageism, young adults’ more positive attitudes toward older adults, less aging anxiety, and lower levels of hostile ageism were all related to higher levels of resilience, and the effects were all mediated by sense of control. The results were similar regardless of whether the four indicators were tested in separate models or simultaneously in the same model. The findings highlight the importance of positive views on aging for young adults’ psychological adjustment. Positive views on aging can serve as a valuable personal resource for young adults to ensure control in life and keep their heads high even facing adversities.