The subjective life course framework: Integrating life course sociology with gerontological perspectives on subjective aging

The expansion of life expectancy has precipitated a cultural transformation of the life course – altering the perceived temporal contours of middle and later life. However, our understanding of these perceptions is limited by the absence of a framework within which to examine them. This paper builds on the life course perspective – which emphasizes the objective patterning of lives – by focusing on the subjective side of the life course. Drawing on theoretically, methodologically, and substantively diverse studies, this paper develops the concept of the subjective life course – a term we use to denote individuals’ perceptions of the life course, including its structure and timing and their advancing location in it. We outline two dimensions of the subjective life course – the target of the perception (i.e., generalized other versus self) and the temporal frame of reference (i.e., past, present, or future). Using the resulting framework as an organizational tool, we then discuss key constructs located at each intersection along these dimensions, providing examples, where possible, of empirical studies examining them. We close with a discussion of two broad directions for research: leveraging the framework to yield insight on the subjective life course and exploring links between objective and subjective dimensions of the life course.