Definitions of Age: Chronological age, Biological age, Functional age, Psychological age, Social age

 

Psychology of Aging

 

Psychology of Aging

 

Definitions of Age

Chronological age

Chronological age is determined by the amount of time that has passed since birth (months or years). The most frequent method of determining age is to use chronological age. Biologically, functionally, mentally, and socially, age can all be described. Chronological age does not always accurately predict where a particular individual falls along each of these dimensions.

Chronological age

Biological age

Biological age refers to a person's position concerning the number of years he or she will live (that is, their longevity). One person could live to be 70 years old chronologically, yet be 65 years old biologically. Another might live to the age of 90, so he or she would probably not be considered biologically old at the age of 65 because another 25 years of life remain. Because we cannot usually predict the exact length of a particular individual's life with great accuracy, this way of conceptualizing biological age is unpredictable.

Another technique to measure biological age is to look at the organ systems and physical appearance of the body. How does one person's performance compare to others in the same chronological age group (i.e., age peers) on these measures? Even within the same individual, different aspects of biological functioning and physical appearance must be evaluated separately because they can vary. For example, an individual is biologically younger than her age peers in terms of blood pressure and most likely cardiovascular functioning. However, her gray curls are a sign of physical aging that places her directly with others in her chronological age group.

Biological Age

Functional age

The functional age of a person refers to their ability to do specified duties. As with biological age, functional age involves comparison with chronological age peers. When an individual's competency in some aspect of functioning compares favorably to that of chronological age peers, he or she is deemed functionally youthful. An 85-year-old guy who drives at night, for example, is functionally younger than his chronologically younger peers who do not drive at night. (Age-related impairments in vision can make driving at night difficult.) Keep in mind that a person's functional abilities, and hence his or her functional age, might vary. For example, an 85-year-old guy who drives at night may suffer from severe arthritis, making it impossible for him to walk around the block. Furthermore, functional age is frequently assessed in the context of a particular situation. In several sports, a 35-year-old athlete is considered functionally elderly. However, a 60-year-old chief operating officer of a large corporation or a 60-year-old President would not be considered functionally old.

Functional Age

Psychological age

In general, psychological age refers to a person's ability to adjust to changing circumstances. To what extent can a person adapt to new situations or try new activities or experiences by using cognitive, personal, or social skills? Individuals who can adjust to new conditions are deemed psychologically younger than those who find it difficult to do so and prefer to repeat the same actions. In short, we link psychological youth with the ability to remain flexible. A 60-year-old individual desire to return to college and study abroad would make her psychologically younger than someone who continues to live in the same environment and has no desire to visit new places.

Psychological Age

Social age

The majority of people in a society's ideas on what individuals in a particular chronological age group should do and how they should act are referred to as social age. People may be expected to finish their schooling by their early twenties, marry by their late twenties or early thirties, have children by their early or mid-thirties, and be established in their careers by the age of forty. A person who does not marry until the age of 40 and stays with his or her parents until then is socially younger than someone who leaves his or her parents' house at the age of 22 and marries at the age of 25. A person who does not become a parent until they are 42 years old.

Social Age