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Why We Grow Kinder As We Grow Older
Science confirms that older adults really are more generous.
Lately I notice myself feeling more charitable towards people I usually find hard to take. Instead of being irritated by their rudeness, irrationality, or stupidity, I am inclined to offer them the benefit of the doubt. Apparently, it’s not just me. Social science researchers have found that it’s a common occurrence as people age.
Many studies over the past two decades have found that older adults demonstrate prosocial behavior — a less clinical term would be altruism — more frequently than younger adults. For example, Ulrich Mayr, Lewis Professor and head of the Psychology Department at the University of Oregon, found that the proportion of altruists in the population steadily increases with age. At age 35 it is less than 25%, and by age 55 and older, it is closer to 75%.
Other studies have confirmed this finding and expanded on it. Two researchers at the University of Zurich found that ecological concerns, an expression of concern for the entire planet, are positively related to age. Conversely, older adults were far less likely than young adults to report having a desire to be rich, and they were more likely to donate money to a charity or a cause.
