SOCIAL AND TEMPORARY FOUNDATIONS OF SUBJECTIVE AGE

Abstract

Aim. To study the basis of a subjective assessment of one’s own age and the age of other people in ontogenesis. Temporal and social comparisons are considered to be such foundations, Methodology. This empirical study involved 145 residents of Moscow and Moscow region of 3 age groups: 20-30 years old, 40-50 years old, 60-70 years old. The methodological complex of the research included: the author’s questionnaire of socio-demographic data, specifying the questionnaire of subjective age (developed on the basis of the “Subjective age” methodology), and the projective methodology “30 photos”. Results. The article presents the age specificity of one’s own emotional age and estimates of how old another person looks like. It is established that with increasing age, the role of social comparisons in the process of assessing the age of other people rises, which increases the accuracy of estimates. Reliance on temporal foundations decreases the accuracy of the emotional age self-esteem. It was revealed that the respondents of all age groups are more accurate in assessing the age of peers than in assessing the age of people of other age categories. The assumption that there is certain difference in the bases for evaluating one’s own and other person’s age and a change in these bases in ontogenesis is confirmed. Research implications.. The data obtained expand the understanding of the mechanisms of subjective age and the estimation of the age of other people. They can also be used in psychotherapy and psychological counseling as a resource to achieve the full functioning of the personality.