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Age-group differences in facets of positive and negative affect.
R E Ready1, J G Vaidya, D Watson
1Department of Psychology, The University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA. ready@psych.umass.edu
Aging & Mental Health
|May 7, 2011
Summary
Older adults may have less distinct emotional experiences, with sadness manifesting differently compared to younger adults. This suggests potential age-related differences in affect structure and experience.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Gerontology
- Affective Science
Background:
- The structure of Positive Affect (PA) and Negative Affect (NA) has been shown to be comparable between younger and older adults.
- Previous research suggests a similar higher-order structure of affect in different age groups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the factor structure of specific facets of PA and NA in older and younger adults.
- To investigate age-related differences in the emotional experiences measured by the PANAS-X.
Main Methods:
- Employed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to examine the PANAS-X data.
- Compared affect facet structures in older adults (N=203, mean age=73.5) and younger adults (N=349, mean age=19.1).
Main Results:
- Factor structures were broadly similar but more diffuse in older adults, diverging from the PANAS-X structure.
- The facet of Sadness showed the most significant age-group difference, linking more with guilt and anxiety in older adults.
Conclusions:
- Older adults may exhibit less discrimination among specific affect terms or greater affective heterogeneity.
- Sadness may manifest in age-specific ways, impacting the assessment of depression in older populations.
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