Life course complexities situated in contemporary age demographics

Despite the shifts in age demographics, few studies have explored contemporary perceptions of age-related expectations for work and family life. We examine whether the relationships between the respondents’ personal biographies (such as perceived career stage and gender) and social history (such as country context) affect perceptions of age-related norms. We analyze data from the multi-national 2009–2010 Generations of Talent Study survey to explore perceptions of age-related norms, comparing the responses of employees working in selected developed economies with those working in selected rapidly developing countries. These comparisons are compelling because of the demographic differences between these two groups. We find that three factors explain variance in perceptions of age-related norms: the respondent's age (using three indicators of age), the country where the respondent works, and gender.