Normal aging dampens the link between intrusive thoughts and negative affect in reaction to daily stressors.
Open accessAbstract
We charted daily variations in intrusive thoughts to gain access to adult age differences in affective reactivity to daily stressors. On 100 days, 101 younger and 103 older adults reported stressors, intrusive thoughts, and negative affect. Although increments in intrusive thoughts were similar in both age groups on days with stressors, older adults' negative affect increased less than younger adults' on such days. In addition, (a) levels of intrusive thoughts and negative affect across study time were positively associated; (b) days with increased thoughts were days with increased negative affect; and (c) experiencing above-average intrusive thoughts about stressors strengthened affective reactions to stress. Relative to younger adults, all three associations were reduced in older adults. We tentatively conclude that normal aging dampens the stress-induced link between intrusive thoughts and affect. This dampening may contribute to preserved affective well-being and reduced affective reactivity to daily stress in old age.
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Most studies of intra-individual emotion variability fail to consider gender or attempt to statistically control for it.
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- Authors
- Brose, A., Schmiedek, F., Lövdén, M., & Lindenberger, U.
- Affiliations
- Max Planck Society (DE)
- Venue
- Psychology and Aging
- Published
- 2011-06
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 488-502
- ISSN
- 0882-7974 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1498
- OpenAlex
- W2098896497
- Cited by
- 79
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 11.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- other-oa
- Locations
- Psychology and Aging (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
- Max Planck Digital Library (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Max Planck Society (M.FE.A.BILD0005)
- German Federal Ministry for Education and Research
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Keywords
- intrusive thoughts, negative affect, daily hassles, normal aging, emotional reactivity, older adults, age differences, emotional well-being, stress response
- MeSH terms
- Activities of Daily Living, Adult, Affect, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Humans, Male, Psychological Tests, Stress, Psychological, Thinking, Young Adult
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