title: Affective experience in adulthood and old age: The role of affective arousal and perceived affect regulation.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Jacobs Center on Lifelong Learning and Institutional Development, Jacobs University Bremen.
authors.forename: Eva-Marie
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.affiliation: Jacobs Center on Lifelong Learning and Institutional Development, Jacobs University Bremen.
authors.forename: Ursula M
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Staudinger
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011594:Psychometrics; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires