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Prof. Jule Specht Many seniors are changing as much as teenagers
Most Germans clearly underestimate their life expectancy, according to scientific studies - and often have a false, very negative picture of their age. Scientists like Prof. Jule Specht are of the opinion that the personality in old age can change a lot.
The initiative "7 years longer" has been in demand. Prof. Dr. Jule Specht, 29, is a junior professor at the Free University of Berlin in the field of psychology. She is researching personality development in the CV - especially in old age - and blogs on jule-schreibt.de about it. At the beginning of the year, she was awarded the Berlin Science Prize 2014 for junior researchers.
Professor Specht, the common opinion is that in the youth the personality of the person develops strongly, but at the latest with 60 one remains, how one is. Is that correct?
We have long assumed that the personality continues to stabilize in the course of life. Therefore, personality development studies have also focused on young adulthood - a time when many changes are known to occur. However, our studies have now shown: Humans change as much as they do in adulthood from the age of 60 to 70 years.
So that means: Even beyond the 70 are still 180-degree turns of personality possible - from Goldfischzüchter to motorcyclist?
This is of course an extreme example, but it's true: some seniors are changing as much as teenagers once again. Everything is possible, even in old age. Our research has shown that up to a quarter of respondents change significantly after their 70th birthday - for example, from a socially adjusted person to a rebel. Or vice versa.
What are typical personality changes in old age?
The changes are usually rather small, but quite systematic: For example, men tend to be more conscientious after the death of their partner. For women it is the other way around. We suspect that is related to the classic role division. Another example: people tend to be more tolerant towards others in old age.
That sounds like age-old. But what about the cliché of the grumpy old man??
That's not the average: if you compare a group of young people and a group of older people, you'll find that older people are generally more forgiving and helpful than young people around the age of 30.
The departure from professional life is for many people once a cut. Does this affect the change of personality in old age?
The departure from the professional life actually brings with it various systematic changes. For example, people become less conscientious, an observation that is aptly called the "La dolce vita" effect. But retiring alone can not explain the many changes in old age.
Why does the personality of seniors change then?
There are many possible causes: more drastic life events, for example. It is also possible that active change in old age plays a particularly important role: the closer the expected death approaches, the more people question who they want to be.
Is it possible to influence one's personality in old age at will??
This is currently being investigated. Currently, we assume that at least short-term changes are possible. For example, you can change your way of life by moving abroad or facing new challenges. And whether someone learns a new language, or simply makes themselves comfortable on the couch at home - that can of course trigger different changes.
Have tips on how to use the new phase of life to develop yourself personally?
People should actively build a social network in the pension, which they usually had automatically through the profession before. It is also good to face cognitive challenges. That may mean dealing with puzzles, pursuing political debates or perhaps learning to play the piano. Also, one can ask oneself, how one would like to make meaningful use of the life phase: this can be about social commitment or the long-awaited trip to India. After all, even in old age it is never too late for change - especially against the background that the over-65s generally live longer.
Are the changes you have noticed a new phenomenon because people's life expectancy is constantly rising?
Unfortunately, there are few comparable studies of earlier generations. However, one thing is for sure: today's seniors are not only living longer, they are also healthy for longer and therefore have much more potential to change with age. (Pm)