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

• Published in: Psychology and aging Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 349 - 362
• Main Authors: Kessler, Eva-Marie, Staudinger, Ursula M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Psychological Association 01-06-2009
• 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; future time perspective; emotional development; affect regulation; resilience; affect; Human; Affect affectivity; Emotion emotionality; Resilience; Young adult; Arousal; Adult; Self regulation; Affective development; Elderly
• ISSN: 0882-7974; 1939-1498
• DOI: 10.1037/a0015352

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.