The article deals with the problem of vulnerability of population groups in a state of social transmission on the example of two basic age groups - youth and the elderly. Social transmission is considered as a phenomenon caused by the transitivity of social status and psychophysiological state (from youth to maturity and from maturity to old age). These periods of transmission can be associated with a state of uncertainty, increased tension, irritation, frustration, uncertainty of prospects, fear of making a mistake in choosing a behavior strategy and a number of other states determined by the search for a rational choice that determines a new social status. At the same time, the authors note that, despite the presence of a certain age specificity, youth and the elderly are characterized by a general vulnerability to social risks arising in this condition. Risks arising in a state of social transmission can be considered a factor that has a direct impact on the individual’s place in society self-perception, and lead to irreversible results in the absence of successful overcome. The theoretical assumptions presented in the article are confirmed by the results of a pilot empirical research, which showed that both young people and elderly people express serious concerns about the state of social transition, and note a significant number of associated social risks, due to both inevitable age-related changes and the need to choose a further life path in changing social status conditions. In conclusion the authors underline that social transmission is of great importance in the context of social problems overcoming in youth and the elderly, and propose a new vista in Russia’s sustainable development optimization.