Doctor of Philosophy / School of Family Studies and Human Services / Kristy L. Pederson-Archuleta / Martin Seay / This dissertation employed a psychological framework to investigate the saving behavior of older pre-retirees through three essays using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Understanding the connection between psychological characteristics and saving behavior is critical as this population attempts to bridge the retirement saving gap. Of these characteristics, financial self-efficacy beliefs (FSE) are theoretically vital to saving behavior. With the FSE beliefs of older adults weak and vulnerable to decline, more research is needed to understand how FSE beliefs affect saving behavior and how FSE beliefs can be supported. Essay one investigated the psychological characteristics associated with FSE beliefs according to the Meta-Theoretic Model of Motivation and Personality (3M). Using a sample of 2,070 pre-retirees aged 50 to 70, essay one revealed that FSE beliefs can be supported through the frequent experience of positive affect, reduced negative affect, a stronger perception of mastery, and a higher task orientation, holding all else constant. Essay two investigated the relationship between FSE beliefs and saving behavior (i.e., change in net worth from 2008 to 2012) through the Social Cognitive Theory of Self-Regulation. Using a sample of 844 pre-retirees aged 50 to 70, results revealed that FSE beliefs are significantly and positively related to saving behavior, after controlling for the financial ability and motivation to save. Essay three employed a structural equation model to investigate an integrated psychological approach to saving behavior based upon the 3M. Using a sample of 1,370 pre-retired and partially retired adults aged 50 to 70, essay three revealed that FSE beliefs facilitated the connection between elemental traits (i.e., openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism), compound traits (i.e., positive affect, negative affect, mastery, and task orientation), and saving behavior. Overall, significant evidence was generated supporting a psychological approach to the saving behavior of older pre-retirees. Financial and mental health professionals can utilize this framework to provide holistic retirement saving advice that acknowledges the psychological roots of behavior. Moreover, results established empirical support for the role FSE beliefs play in executing saving behavior. Lastly, results supported the importance of domain specific measurement for self-efficacy beliefs in future research.

Магистерская диссертация посвящена проблеме дискриминации по возрасту в трудовой сфере, которая с повышением пенсионного возраста в России актуализировалась еще больше. Сегодняшняя ситуация, связанная с мерами противодействия распространения короновируса в России, также грозит усилением проявлений эйджизма. Цель исследования: оценить влияние повышения пенсионного возраста на масштабы распространения возрастной дискриминации на рынке труда и разработать рекомендации по противодействию возрастной дискриминации на рынке труда в Свердловской области в связи с последствиями, вызванными повышением пенсионного возраста. Методология исследования основана на сочетании количественных и качественных методов сбора необходимой информации, обеспечивающих рассмотрение проблемы как с позиции работников (метод массового анкетного опроса населения), так и с точки зрения работодателя (методы: контент-анализ объявлений о вакансиях в Свердловской области и глубинные интервью с работодателями). В исследовании проанализированы социально-экономические последствия повышения пенсионного возраста для рынка труда; выявлены основные проблемы крайних возрастных групп на рынке труда, дана оценка масштаба распространения возрастной дискриминации в сфере труда; определены оптимальные способы для преодоления выявленных проблем. Результатом работы стала разработка ряда рекомендаций для противодействия возрастной дискриминации на рынке труда в Свердловской области. / The master's thesis is devoted to the problem of age discrimination in the labor sector, which has become even more relevant with the increase in the retirement age in Russia. The current situation related to measures to counteract the spread of coronovirus in Russia also threatens to increase the manifestations of ageism. Objective: to assess the impact of raising the retirement age on the prevalence of age discrimination in the labor market and to develop recommendations for countering age discrimination in the labor market in the Sverdlovsk region in connection with the consequences caused by the increase in the retirement age. The research methodology is based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods for gathering the necessary information, ensuring the consideration of the problem both from the position of employees (mass questionnaire survey of the population) and from the point of view of the employer (methods: content analysis of job ads in the Sverdlovsk region and in-depth interviews with employers). The study analyzes the socio-economic consequences of raising the retirement age for the labor market; identifies the main problems of extreme age groups in the labor market, assesses the scale of age discrimination in the labor sphere; identifies the best ways to overcome the identified problems. The work resulted in the development of a number of recommendations to counteract age discrimination in the labor market in the Sverdlovsk region.