Research on Subjective Views of Aging: How Far Have We Come and What Lies Ahead?

This closing chapter discusses the major advances in theory, research, and practice to show that the field of subjective views of aging (VoA) has indeed reached a qualitatively new developmental stage. At the theoretical level there is an increasing consensus that a lifespan developmental perspective may be most appropriate to study VoA across the adult years and into late life. This perspective can serve as a unifying framework with important implications for the integration of diverse literatures and increased methodological diversity and sophistication. Specifically, the impact of greater methodological diversity and sophistication is seen at the level of empirical research, including the greater diversity in study designs, the emerging focus on multilevel investigations (e.g., the concomitant study of biological, psychological, and social processes), and the translation into areas of intervention and prevention. All these advances bode well for the future of the field of VoA research and lay the foundation for promising future directions.