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Related Experiment Videos

Age differences in positive feelings and their expression.

Margund K Rohr1, Cornelia Wieck1, Ute Kunzmann1

  • 1Institute of Psychology, University of Leipzig.

Psychology and Aging
|October 13, 2017
PubMed
Summary
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Older adults report more positive feelings but express them less than younger adults. Conscientiousness may explain these age-related differences in positive emotions, impacting health and well-being.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Gerontology
  • Affective Science

Background:

  • Research on emotional reactivity across the lifespan often overlooks positive emotions, focusing primarily on negative emotions.
  • Existing evidence on age differences in positive emotions is limited and inconsistent, potentially due to variations in stimuli and measurement approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate age-related differences in positive emotional experiences and expressions across multiple response systems (subjective, facial, verbal).
  • To explore the role of conscientiousness in modulating individual and age-related variations in positive emotions.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a modified relived emotion task with internal, personally relevant positive emotional stimuli.
  • Compared younger (mean age 25.64) and older adults (mean age 70.06) on subjective feelings, facial expressions, and verbalizations.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Assessed conscientiousness as a potential moderator of emotional responses.

    • Main Results:

    • No age differences in positive feelings during private emotion recall; older adults reported more positive feelings during subsequent verbalization.
    • Older adults exhibited fewer positive verbal and nonverbal expressions compared to younger adults.
    • Conscientiousness was linked to individual differences and age-related patterns in positive feelings.

    Conclusions:

    • Older adults may experience positive emotions more intensely internally but express them less outwardly than younger adults.
    • Self-regulatory skills, particularly conscientiousness, may play a significant role in understanding age differences in positive emotional experiences.
    • Findings highlight the complexity of positive emotion regulation across the adult lifespan.