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Dimensions of affective experience in three age groups
M P Lawton1, M H Kleban, D Rajagopal
1Philadelphia Geriatric Center, Pennsylvania 19141.
Psychology and Aging
|June 1, 1992
Summary
Older adults exhibit greater emotional control and mood stability, suggesting increased self-regulation with age. These findings in emotional experience require further replication across diverse populations.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Gerontology
- Affective Science
Background:
- Understanding age-related differences in emotional experience is crucial for gerontology and developmental psychology.
- Previous research suggests potential shifts in emotional regulation strategies across the adult lifespan.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how adults of different age groups experience and regulate emotions.
- To examine age-related variations in emotional control, mood stability, and sensation seeking.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study utilizing self-administered questionnaires.
- Participants included young adults (18-29), middle-aged adults (30-59), and older adults (≥60).
- Recruitment involved college students, Elderhostel participants, and their adult children.
Main Results:
- Older adults reported higher emotional control, mood stability, and emotional maturity.
- Elders demonstrated moderation of positive affect and lower levels of surgency, psychophysiological responsiveness, and sensation seeking.
- Findings align with the hypothesis of increased self-regulatory capacity with age.
Conclusions:
- Age-related differences in emotional experience suggest enhanced self-regulatory capacity in older adults.
- Cross-sectional findings may be influenced by cohort effects, necessitating further research.
- Replication across diverse samples and functional characterization of self-regulation dimensions are required.