Just change the channel? Studying effects of age on emotion regulation using a TV watching paradigm

Older adults are theorized to benefit from proactive forms of emotion regulation that allow them to avoid negative stimuli (Charles, 2010). To test this, we examined choices as a form of emotion regulation. In two studies investigating age differences, participants selected affective stimuli using a cable television interface, while choices and mood were recorded. In lab-based Study 1, older adults spent more time watching neutral channels, but younger adults spent more time watching positive ones. Older adults also watched more low-arousal content, while younger adults watched more high-arousal content. Lagged analyses revealed that younger adults' choices were directed toward increasing positive affect and arousal. Study 2 replicated these findings in a community-based adult lifespan sample at a local museum. These findings suggest that arousal plays an important role in motivating emotion regulation behavior in the context of selections, and this differs by age.