Abstract

Gerontologists need to be more sensitive to the variable relevance of age as a personal trait. Although old age is often described as a marginal and stigmatized status, this appears to have little effect on the everyday lives and feelings of older people, perhaps because of the limited salience of age within their informal networks. Factors that heighten the salience of being old, however, may reduce subjective well-being because of the implied marginality of old age.

This content is only available as a PDF.
You do not currently have access to this article.