The Aging Self in a Cultural Context: The Relation of Conceptions of Aging to Identity Processes and Self-Esteem in the United States and the Netherlands

Objectives. To study the aging self, that is, conceptions of one’s own aging process, in relation to identity processes and self-esteem in the United States and the Netherlands. As the liberal American system has a stronger emphasis on individual responsibility and youthfulness than the social–democratic Dutch system, we expect that youthful and positive perceptions of one’s own aging process are more important in the United States than in the Netherlands. Methods. Three hundred and nineteen American and 235 Dutch persons between 40 and 85 years participated in the study. A single question on... Mehr ...