Abstract Uncertainty is at the center of debates on how to best cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. In our exploration of the role of uncertainty in current aging and lifespan research, we build on an uncertainty regulation framework that includes both reduction and creation of uncertainty as viable self-regulatory processes. In particular, we propose that future time perspective, a key component in models of successful aging, should be reconceptualized in terms of uncertainty regulation. We argue that by proactively regulating the amount of uncertainty one is exposed to, individuals’ future time perspective can be altered. We show how extant research might be (re)interpreted based on these considerations and suggest directions for future research, challenging a number of implicit assumptions about how age and uncertainty are interlinked. We close with some practical implications for individuals and organizations for managing the Covid-19 crisis.

中文翻译：

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衰老和寿命研究的不确定性：Covid-19 作为解决房间大象问题的催化剂

摘要 不确定性是关于如何最好地应对 Covid-19 大流行的辩论的中心。在我们探索不确定性在当前老龄化和寿命研究中的作用时，我们建立了一个不确定性监管框架，该框架包括作为可行的自我监管过程减少和创造不确定性。特别是，我们建议在不确定性监管方面重新定义未来时间观点，即成功老龄化模型中的一个关键组成部分。我们认为，通过主动调节一个人所面临的不确定性的数量，可以改变个人对未来时间的看法。我们展示了如何基于这些考虑对现有研究进行（重新）解释，并提出未来研究的方向，挑战一些关于年龄和不确定性如何相互关联的隐含假设。