Self-perceptions of ageing (SPA) are important predictors of health in later life. However, research on antecedents of SPA other than age stereotypes is scarce. To address this gap, this study investigates the impact of personal value priorities beyond age stereotypes on SPA. Can values as the motivational basis of attitudes and evaluations predict gain- and loss-related SPA? To answer this question, we conducted multiple regression analyses of longitudinal data from two waves (2008, 2011) of the German Ageing Survey (DEAS; N = 6089, age range in 2008: 40–93 years). Gain- and loss-related SPA as well as age stereotypes were assessed with two AgeCog scales and personal values with the 21-item Portrait Values Questionnaire. Results indicate that value priorities relate to SPA longitudinally in domain-specific ways: People with a value priority of openness to change and self-transcendence reported more gain-related SPA at follow-up, whereas those who prioritized conservation reported less gain-related SPA. In the domain of loss-related SPA, those people with a value priority of self-enhancement reported more and those prioritizing self-transcendence reported less loss-related SPA at follow-up. These results complement and extend recent findings on the role of personality for SPA. They suggest that whether people focus on the gains or losses that occur with age, whether they perceive ageing as a threat or chance, is not only shaped by their age stereotypes, but also by what they find important—their values.

衰老的自我认知 (SPA) 是晚年健康的重要预测指标。然而，除了年龄刻板印象之外，对SPA前因的研究很少。为了解决这一差距，本研究调查了超越年龄刻板印象的个人价值优先事项对 SPA 的影响。作为态度和评估动机基础的价值观能否预测与收益和损失相关的 SPA？为了回答这个问题，我们对德国老龄化调查 (DEAS; N = 6089，2008 年的年龄范围：40-93 岁）。获得和损失相关的 SPA 以及年龄刻板印象通过两个 AgeCog 量表和个人价值观与 21 项肖像价值观问卷进行评估。结果表明，价值优先级以特定领域的方式与 SPA 纵向相关：具有对变革开放和自我超越的价值优先级的人在后续报告中报告了更多与收益相关的 SPA，而那些优先考虑保护的人报告的收益相关 SPA 较少. 在与损失相关的SPA领域，那些价值优先于自我提升的人报告更多，而那些优先考虑自我超越的人在后续报告中与损失相关的SPA较少。这些结果补充并扩展了最近关于人格对 SPA 的作用的发现。他们认为，人们是否关注随着年龄增长而发生的得失，