Affective Experience in Adulthood and Old Age: The Role of Affective Arousal and Perceived Affect Regulation

The aim of the present study was to investigate age-related differences in self-reported affect in adulthood. Measurement of affect encompassed high- and low-arousal positive and negative affect. The sample consisted of 277 participants who were between 20 and 80 years old. Older participants showed...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychology and aging 2009-06, Vol.24 (2), p.349-362
Main Authors: Kessler, Eva-Marie, Staudinger, Ursula M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Adult Development
Adult. Elderly
Adulthood
Adults
Affect - physiology
Affective experiences
Age Differences
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging
Aging - physiology
Aging - psychology
Arousal - physiology
Biological and medical sciences
Cognition - physiology
Developmental psychology
Elderly people
Emotional Development
Emotional Regulation
Emotions
Emotions - physiology
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Health Status
Human
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Motivation
Older Adulthood
Personality Inventory
Positive affect
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Psychometrics
Resilience, Psychological
Self Efficacy
Studies
Surveys and Questionnaires
Time Perspective
Citations: Items that cite this one
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Summary:The aim of the present study was to investigate age-related differences in self-reported affect in adulthood. Measurement of affect encompassed high- and low-arousal positive and negative affect. The sample consisted of 277 participants who were between 20 and 80 years old. Older participants showed a higher level of low-arousal positive affect and did not significantly differ from the two younger age groups in high-arousal positive affect. Both high- and low-arousal negative affect decreased from middle to older adulthood. Only partially are these age effects explained by sociodemographic characteristics, education, or self-reported health and personality. The perceived regulation of affect in the face of difficulties or threatening situations emerged as a central mediator in the association between age and the three age-graded facets of affect. In contrast, future time perspective had no mediating effect on the age-affect relationship. Results suggest that age-related advantages in perceived affect regulation seem to be one central component of resilience in old age.
ISSN:0882-7974
1939-1498
DOI:10.1037/a0015352