Social and Temporal Bases of Self-Evaluation in the Elderly: Theory and Evidence

Abstract

With what standards do the elderly evaluate their abilities, and do these standards differ from those used earlier in the lifecycle? As in other stages of the lifecycle, two forms of information are important in making self-evaluations—social comparison and temporal comparison. Social comparison refers to comparisons with other persons to gauge one's relative standing, while temporal comparison refers to comparisons of one's present performance with past performances on similar tasks to gauge improvement or deterioration. This study proposes that temporal comparison standards are used more by the elderly than social comparison standards and that this represents a reversal of the tendency found earlier in life. Social, cognitive, and physical reasons for this shift in the manner in which important abilities and traits are evaluated are discussed. Relevant empirical research, which supports the hypothesis, is reviewed. Finally, we discuss how the present hypothesis has an important implication for understanding self-esteem and morale in the elderly.