MISREMEMBERING SOLITUDE IN OLDER AGE: AGE AND CULTURE SHAPE RECALL ACCURACY FOR LONELINESS AND HAPPINESS IN SOLITUDE
2024
Misremembering Solitude in Older Age
Sample size: 434
publication
Author Information
Author(s): Lay Jennifer, HO Yuen Wan, Tse Dwight, Da Jiang
Hypothesis
Does age and culture influence how accurately people recall their feelings of loneliness and happiness during solitude?
Conclusion
Older adults tend to underestimate their loneliness and happiness in solitude, influenced by cultural attitudes.
Supporting Evidence
- Older adults tend to underestimate their loneliness in solitude.
- UK older adults overestimate their happiness in solitude, while HK older adults underestimate it.
- The study involved participants from the UK and Hong Kong.
Takeaway
Older people often remember their time alone differently than younger people, sometimes thinking they were happier or less lonely than they really were.
Methodology
Participants reported their feelings five times a day for a week and then recalled their average feelings during solitude.
Participant Demographics
Adults aged 18-81, with a mean age of 40.8 years, 60.8% female, from the UK and Hong Kong.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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