Longitudinal change in preferred age of retirement

It has been observed that among workers there is an inverse relationship between the proximity of retirement and its attractiveness. This study analysed the longitudinal change, over the ten years between two sampling times T₁ and T₂, in preferred retirement age for a series of age cohorts. The sample included 1458 males aged 35–81 at T₂. Cohort means at T₁ and T₂ and an additional residual change score both showed a similar trend in the direction of older workers preferring a later retirement age over time. The shift to a preference for later retirement was estimated to occur in the early 50s. This preference for later retirement was seen as an attempt to delay the status changes of retirement, and not as a rejection of retirement or an absolute preference for work. The data also showed a longitudinal change in social values toward a more favourable appraisal of retirement among all age cohorts. 1976 The British Psychological Society