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Cited by 109Aging and Gerontology ResearchRetirement, Disability, and EmploymentEmotional Intelligence and Performance

Emotional competencies across adulthood: State of knowledge and implications for the work context

Open access
Doerwald, Friederike, Scheibe, Susanne, Zacher, Hannes, Van Yperen, Nico W.·2016·Work, Aging and Retirement
DOI 10.1093/workar/waw013
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Abstract

It has been proposed that emotional competencies are subject to age-related increases and, thus, represent strengths of older workers. However, this assumption is based on limited evidence for positive age differences in one particular emotional competency, namely emotion regulation. Age-related differences in two other key emotional competencies, emotion perception and emotion understanding, have been largely ignored. The present review systematically examines the extant literature on the associations between age and the competencies to perceive, understand, and regulate emotions. For each competency, we further distinguish whether it concerns own emotions or those of others. We identified 195 studies that met our inclusion criteria. Overall, we found moderate support for the proposed age-related advantage in emotional competencies. Regarding the working lifespan, findings suggest that older workers generally function equally well as, or slightly better than young workers on most emotional competencies (i.e., perceiving, understanding and regulating own emotions, and understanding others’ emotions). For perceiving others’ emotions, there was robust evidence of lower performance beyond age 65, yet deficits did not show consistently for middle-aged adults (i.e., most older workers). For regulating others’ emotions, evidence was too limited to draw conclusions. We discuss implications of age differences in emotional competencies for work processes and outcomes and outline future research directions.

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Crossref · 10.1093/workar/waw013

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31 of 31 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Memory contributes to sociocognitive processes.

    “However, there is also evidence that memory contributes to these functions (Doerwald et al., 2016).”

    From Longitudinal Associations Between Loneliness and Cognitive Ability in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (2019) · cites this paper as Doerwald et al., 2016

  • Fluid cognitive abilities (as indexed by visuospatial reasoning in our study) and processing speed are critical for sociocognitive processes including the processing of social cues and regulating emotional responses.

    “previous work has illustrated that fluid cognitive abilities (as indexed by visuospatial reasoning in our study) and processing speed are critical for sociocognitive processes including the processing of social cues and regulating emotional responses (Doerwald, Scheibe, Zacher, & Van Yperen, 2016).”

    From Longitudinal Associations Between Loneliness and Cognitive Ability in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (2019) · cites this paper as Doerwald, Scheibe, Zacher, & Van Yperen, 2016

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Authors
Doerwald, F., Scheibe, S., Zacher, H., & Van Yperen, N. W.
Affiliations
  • University of Groningen (NL)
  • Queensland University of Technology (AU)
ORCID
Venue
Work, Aging and Retirement
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2016-04
Volume
2
Issue
2
Pages
159-216
ISSN
  • 2054-4642 (ISSN-L)
  • 2054-4650
DOI
10.1093/workar/waw013
OpenAlex
W2338885964
Cited by
109
References
31
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 3
FWCI
22.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
other-oa
Locations
  • Work Aging and Retirement (publishedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Retirement, Disability, and Employment
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotional Intelligence and Performance
Keywords
emotional competence, age differences, older workers, emotion regulation, emotion perception, emotional understanding, middle-aged adults, work context

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