Do Perceived Expectations for Active Aging Predict Changes in Well-Being Over Time?

The research on perceived expectations for active aging (PEAA) has to date highlighted several of their positive outcomes, such as better psychological adjustment in the young-old adults who do not work or volunteer (Pavlova & Silbereisen, 2016), and more positive change in caregiving frequency over 1 year (see https://osf.io/b3k4c). In the present research, we aim to understand the implications of PEAA for well-being further by examining the change in general and domain-specific well-being indicators over time in adults of all ages. Furthermore, we will test whether age stereotypes and resources combined with motivation moderate this relationship, as those who are more motivated and resourceful and hold more positive views on aging may experience higher well-being if they perceive higher expectations for active aging. To this end, we will utilize longitudinal data from several waves of the Innovation Sample (N = 2,007, aged 16-94) of the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP-IS).