Sticking with the status quo: How defaults shape the age-related positivity effect

Area of Science:

• Cognitive psychology
• Aging research
• Information processing

Background:

• Older adults exhibit a positivity effect, preferring positive over negative information.
• Previous research used experimenter-selected stimuli, not self-chosen information.
• Psychological inertia and status quo biases influence daily information choices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how default options influence the positivity effect in younger and older adults.
• To examine the role of psychological inertia in age-related differences in information selection.

Main Methods:

• Two studies with younger and older adults using a proactive choice task.
• Participants chose to view default images or switch to alternatives.
• Study 2 manipulated factors to reduce psychological inertia.

Main Results:

• Older adults were more likely to stick with default images, irrespective of valence.
• Positive defaults led to an age-related positivity bias; negative defaults led to a negativity bias.
• Older adults showed less engagement with neutral defaults, avoiding alternatives.

Conclusions:

• Positivity effects are context-dependent, varying with the valence of default information.
• Default options significantly influence age-related biases in information attention.
• Psychological inertia contributes to older adults' tendency to adhere to defaults.