INSPIRE
d o we feel younger
Why
than we actually are?
At
According to a 2006 Danish study
published in the Psychonomic Bulletin
& Review, people over age 40 perceive
BY Enrique Alpañés FROM EL PAIS themselves to be, on average, 20 per
cent younger than what their ID
her chronological age is 66 but her indicates. Having a younger subjective
subjective age is 40. The woman I’ll age begins at age 25—before then,
call Ana did not become fully aware most people tend to feel older than
of this disconnect until she went for they are.
her COVID-19 vaccination a couple Why do some of us feel that the
of years ago. As she stood in line, number of candles on our birthday
surrounded by her contemporaries, cake can’t be right? Psychologists and
she looked around and thought: scientists have been studying this
Are they really my age? Later, amused phenomenon since the 1970s. Some
and slightly worried, she discussed wonder about the cultural factors that
it with her friends. Almost all of them push us to look younger. A 1989 study
said the same thing had happened by the American Psychological
to them. Association concluded that subjective
82 • DECEMBER 2023 illustration by Jess Hannigan
83
YO U N G AT H E A R T
age identities are “a form of defensive social media, many people see this as
denial by which adults can a big problem—they believe that a
disassociate themselves from the woman in her sixties should cover
stigma attached to growing old.” herself up and not attract attention.
Belén Alfonso (chronological age 35, In a statement posted on Instagram
subjective age 30) agrees. “We earlier this year, the singer responded
internalise negative stereotypes about to the haters: “Once again I am caught
old age, so we resist identifying in the glare of the ageism and
ourselves with being an older person,” misogyny that permeate the world we
says the psychologist, who specialises
in gender studies. Alfonso explains
that these ageist attitudes especially THOSE WHO PERCEIVE
persecute women, who are the target THEMSELVES
of advertising that associates being AS YOUNGER TEND
active and attractive with being young.
“In contrast, old age is associated TO BE HEALTHIER
with being unproductive, ill and AND HAPPIER
dependent,” she says.
Alfonso doesn’t believe that a
mature person should be blamed for live in. A world that refuses to celebrate
perceiving themselves, or presenting women past the age of 45 and feels the
themselves to others, as younger, but need to punish her if she continues to
she argues that we need to be strong-willed, hardworking and
understand the social context that adventurous. I have never apologised
pushes them to do so. “Having a for any of the creative choices I have
subjective age of 20 when we are 65, made, nor the way that I look or dress,
for example, suggests that we see and I’m not going to start.”
ourselves as energetic, strong, For Belén Alfonso, Madonna
attractive. But why can’t we associate “shows us that physical activity,
those qualities with being 65?” eroticism and trending on social
Take Madonna. The singer, who is media are not exclusive to a specific
65, has long been criticised for how age.” But the problem is that in the
she presents herself: a woman music industry, pop divas are
confident in herself and her sexuality. supposed to be young; mature
Surrounded by people who could be women often feel pressured into
her children, Madonna twerks, getting cosmetic surgery and using
smokes cannabis, shows off her Photoshop to fit into a single mould.
vibrators and joins viral trends on Nor has age constrained Paddy
TikTok. Judging by the comments on Jones in the UK. Her place was on the
84 • DECEMBER 2023
READER’S DIGEST
dance floor—and in the Guinness coordinated a European study looking
Book of World Records as the oldest at the quality of life of elderly people.
acrobatic salsa dancer in the world. Arpino is 43 and prefers not to say how
Well into her eighties, she danced salsa young he is in subjective years (“I
with an agility and fearlessness that study the subject, so my answer would
many would want for themselves at 40 be biased”). He says there are positives
(“I don’t plead my age, because I don’t for people who perceive themselves as
feel 80, or act it,” she once said in an younger than their real age.
interview). Her videos, which are “They tend to be healthier, happier
hypnotic, tender and slightly terrifying, with their lives,” Arpino says, “and they
have accumulated millions of views. live longer.” But he cautions that it’s not
A dancer as a young woman, Jones known to what extent these positives
gave it up to have a family. But her are a cause or an effect. “The
fame came much later: in 2009, at age phenomenon occurs mostly among
75, she entered the Spanish TV dance people who are active for their age,” he
competition Tú sí que vales (You Are points out.
Worth It) with “Nico” Espinosa, 40 Other factors that lead to us
years her junior—and won. perceiving ourselves as younger are
Her story went viral, and she danced being sociable, cultivating hobbies or
on shows in the UK (she and Espinosa having intergenerational relationships.
made the finals of Britain’s Got Talent),
Germany, Chile and Italy. In interviews all the studies and theories seem to
she encouraged women to throw down boil down to a rather simple idea: in
their walking stick and go after their adulthood, it’s hard to find our place.
dreams in defiance of ageist At the high-school reunion, we may
stereotypes. She has squeezed the feel we are the best-preserved of our
juice out of each year, competing until fellow alumni. That’s OK, but it’s not
2021, when she performed on Spain’s real; it may be a disappointment to
Got Talent; she and Nico made it realise you look just as old as everyone
through the first round. Now 88 years else your age.
old, she no longer competes. At the end of the day, seeing
Subjective age can help improve yourself as younger can be good for
quality of life, but in the end, real age your physical and mental health. So
imposes itself. be defiant, like Madonna, or a dancer,
Chronological age cannot be like Paddy Jones. Forever young, to
modified, “but lifestyle and behaviour the end.
can influence subjective age,” says
© 2023 FROM “LA EDAD SUBJETIVA: EL MISTERIO POR EL
Bruno Arpino, a sociologist at the QUE UNA PERSONA SE SIENTE MÁS JOVEN DE LO QUE ES”
BY ENRIQUE ALPAÑÉS, EL PAIS (MARCH 14, 2023)
University of Padua in Italy who ELPAIS.COM
DECEMBER 2023 • 85
