SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF AGING, SUPPORT FROM CLOSE SOCIAL TIES, AND HEALTH GOAL PROGRESS IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Subjective aging is interpersonal, it embodies processes of thinking about the self in relationship to others. We utilize data from the 100-day microlongitudinal Personal Understanding of Life and Social Experiences Project (N = 99; observations = 7,049; Mage = 63, range = 52-88) to explore how self-perceptions of aging differentiate the processes by which older adults shape interactions with close social ties to support progress toward a meaningful health goal in everyday life. Those with more positive self-perceptions of aging identified more friends among their closest social ties and reported a higher levels of goal progress and support toward that goal during the study period. Further, multilevel random coefficient models showed that goal progress on a given day was more sensitive to received support on that day among those with more positive self-perceptions of aging. The implications for adult development and shared experiences of aging within friendship networks is discussed.