AGE AND EMOTION: AGE MODERATES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MIXED EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING
2024
Age and Emotion: How Age Affects Emotional Experiences and Well-Being
Sample size: 180
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Whitman Kathrine, Chen Enna, Stephenson Jane, Carstensen Laura
Primary Institution: Stanford University
Hypothesis
Age moderates the relationship between mixed emotional experiences and psychological well-being.
Conclusion
Older adults benefit from mixed emotional states, leading to increased psychological well-being, while younger adults do not.
Supporting Evidence
- Older adults experience more positive emotions and fewer negative emotions.
- Mixed emotional experiences may indicate emotional complexity and adaptive functioning.
- Negative emotions were less associated with depression in older participants.
Takeaway
As people get older, they feel more positive and mixed emotions, which can make them happier, even when they feel some negative emotions.
Methodology
Participants reported their emotions at five random times each day for seven days.
Participant Demographics
Participants aged 18 to 93, with a mean age of 56.9.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website