Roundtable Presentation 6th World Congress on Positive Psychology 2019

Prioritizing Positivity Across The Adult Lifespan: Initial Evidence For Differential Associations With Positive And Negative Emotions (#358)

Hadassah Prof. Littman-Ovadia 1 , Pninit Dr. Russo-Netzer 2
  1. Social Sciences and Psychology, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
  2. The University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

Prioritizing positivity (PP) has been presented as an effective mechanism to increase positive emotions and reduce negative emotions. As positive emotional experiences are more characteristic of older rather than younger individuals, the question arises whether they use PP more frequently, more effectively, or both. Along with replicating previous findings, the current study sought to (a) examine PP stability across the lifespan, (b) explore the role of age as a moderator, and (c) identify selected situations facilitating the likelihood of routinely experiencing positive and negative emotions. Based on a sample of 604 adults, we found that PP, while stable in frequency across the lifespan, plays different roles at different life stages. PP was found to be effective in increasing positive emotions in old adulthood, but not in young adulthood. It was found more effective in reducing negative emotions in young adulthood than in old adulthood. A content analysis of 1037 situations revealed that interpersonal interaction is critical in both increasing positive and preventing negative emotions, independent of age. However, pleasurable situations were more likely to be prioritized by young adults to trigger positive emotions, whereas older adults focused on avoiding unfulfilling situations, due to the negative emotions that they trigger.