Aging and Preference for Later Retirement

Abstract

The hypothesis was investigated that older workers who are longer in the work role are more anxious to remain in their work role and prefer to retire at a later age. In the design, social class and health were age-invariant because of the selective nature of the VA Normative Aging population. These two major contaminants of the relationship between age and later retirement preference were therefore controlled. A stepwise regression analysis found that later retirement preference was related to age and social class factors, the two acting independently, and with age more than twice as important as social class. This finding is problematic because of (1) a trend to earlier mandatory retirement related to increased industrial productivity; (2) capacity for longer work life, related to improvement in health and longevity; and (3) a trend to non-manual occupation, which is less vulnerable to age decrement. In summary, contrary to disengagement theory, the desire to stave off retirement increases with age at a time of societal pressure for curtailment of work role. The solution to this dilemma lies either in expansion of work roles or massive change in values favoring earlier retirement.

Expectancy theory components and non‐expectancy moderators as predictors of physicians' preference for retirement

“…To be sure, the research literature on attitudes towards retirement is voluminous (e.g. Simpson et al, 1966;Fillenbaum, 1971;Streib & Schneider, 1971;Rose & Mogey, 1972;Jacobson, 1972Jacobson, , 1974aBarfield & Morgan, 1974;Parnes, 1974;Eden & Jacobson, 1976). However, reviews of research in this area suggest that relatively little attention has been given to the explanation and prediction of such attitudes on the basis of available conceptual models and theoretical statements (Riley Br Foner, 1968;Carp, 1972;Sheppard, 1976;Atchley, 1976Atchley, , 1977.…”

Changes in the preferred age of retirement: a longitudinal study of older workers

“…One line of research on the role transitions associated with retirement emphasizes the study of adjustment to retire ment (Streib and Schneider, 1971). Another line of thinking more per tinent to the present study holds that workers recognize the potential problems caused by impending retirement and, therefore, attempt to delay retirement (Rose and Mogey, 1972). The implication is that because re tirement is more salient to older workers they will be more negative toward retirement.…”

“…Orbach 1963 (Kreps, 1966;Kreps, 1963). Research has also been carried out at the micro level of analysis with an emphasis on the causes and effects of retirement for individuals (Carp, 1972) shown to vary by age group (Crook and Heinstein, 1958;Fleming, 1963;Katona, 1965;Lehr and Dreher, 1969;Rose and Mogey, 1972;Jacobson, 1974). agreed by a plurality (47 to 39 percent) that younger required retire ment is a good thing, those 65 and over disagreed 47 to 33 percent (with 20 percent not sure)" (Harris, 1975:218).…”