1000019684(1).mp4

https://videos.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/video/37169-video-onto-psychomp4/

The psychological construct of self-perception is the representation a person has of their strengths and weaknesses, and the judgment she makes on these characteristics. This psychological construct evolves for the old person because the representation of aging plays an important role in their well-being.

We looked at two studies, the first one is made by Klusman with a focus on the effects of an exercise intervention in older women. The women were divided into different groups: a first group in which they engaged in 3 times 90 minutes of sports per week, a second one in which they did computer tasks 3 times per week, and a control group that did nothing special. The result shows regular physical activity improves satisfaction with aging and increases the motivation to practice more. 

The second study is made by Wurm and summarizes several studies conducted to reach a conclusion. She looks at several variables such as perception of aging, subjective age, and health indicators such as physical (diseases, mobility), cognitive (memory), psychological (depression, well-being) and longevity. With that the author explains in the short term, if you have negative stereotypes, then there is a decrease in performance (memory, balance, motor skills) but positive stereotypes allow for improved performance. In the long term, negative perceptions lead to more diseases (heart disease, depression), more hospitalizations, and faster cognitive decline. While positive perceptions can help maintain better physical and mental health, better recovery, and longer lifespan (approximately +7.5 years). 

To conclude, with these two studies we can say that the representations of aging have a direct effect in the short and long term on health and that a lower subjective age prevents rapid decline and brings more well-being.