Abstract
Prolonged elevation of cortisol, a primary stress biomarker, is associated with worse cognitive and physical health. Cortisol tends to increase in later life among most, but not all, older individuals. The current study considered whether this pattern could be explained by more-positive age stereotypes acting as a stress-buffer. The 439 participants, drawn from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, provided 1,789 24-hour cortisol measurements across 30 years. Among those aged 50 or greater, the cortisol of those in the more-negative age-stereotype group increased by 44%, whereas those with more positive age-stereotypes tended to show no increase. Also, as expected, no association of age stereotypes and cortisol level was found among the younger participants, for whom the age stereotypes were self-irrelevant. The findings suggest the important contribution positive age stereotypes can make to older individuals’ well being.