The stereotype of the old and cynical man is common in our society, but a new study seems to show that people do not necessarily become embittered and distrustful with age. Research indicates that as individuals grow older, they learn to trust more - not less.
According to two new large-scale studies conducted by researchers at Northwestern University and the University at Buffalo, interpersonal trust increases as people age, which may be beneficial for other aspects of a person's overall well-being.
"A growing body of research shows that some things actually get better as we age," said study co-author Claudia Haase, an assistant professor of human development and social policy at Northwestern's School of Education and Social Policy. "Our new findings show that trust increases as people get older and, moreover, that people who trust more are also more likely to experience increases in happiness over time."
In the first study, nearly 198,000 people from 83 countries were assessed during a 26-year period. At different points in time, a series of snapshots was taken of the link between age and trust. The results showed that there is a positive association between the two and that these trends remained virtually the same over the 26-year period.
"This suggests that it's not simply about people being born at certain times," said study co-author Michael Poulin, associate professor of psychology at the University at Buffalo.
The second study followed 1,230 people living in the United States, aged 18 to 89. Likewise, the results indicated that interpersonal trust and well-being increased in individuals over time.
Although there is no clear explanation as to why this occurs, researchers suggest that older people are increasingly motivated to look on the bright side of things.
"As we age, we may be more likely to see the best in other people and forgive the little letdowns that got us so wary when we were younger," said Haase.
