JOURNAL ARTICLE

Could 70 Be the New 60? Investigating the Association Between Internet Use and Subjective Age Among Chinese Older Adults.

  • Published In: Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences & Social Sciences, 2024, v. 79, n. 4. P. 1 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Zhao, Menghan; Huang, Yuanfeng; Zhang, Youlang 3 of 3

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between Internet use and subjective age—how old individuals feel, look, and define the threshold of old age—among Chinese adults aged 60 and over, using data from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (2016–2020). The study finds that moderate Internet users tend to have a younger subjective age and feel more valued by society compared to nonusers, while heavy users show lower participation in volunteering activities. Feeling valued by society partially mediates the association between Internet use and subjective age, whereas volunteering does not significantly mediate this relationship. The findings highlight the nuanced role of Internet use intensity in older adults' aging experiences and suggest that moderate use may enhance psychological well-being and perceptions of aging, while excessive use could reduce offline social engagement.

Additional Information

  • Source:Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences & Social Sciences. 2024/04, Vol. 79, Issue 4, p1
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Sociology
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:1079-5014
  • DOI:10.1093/geronb/gbad200
  • Accession Number:176470035
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences & Social Sciences is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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