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Getting older, feeling less? A cross-sectional and longitudinal investigation of developmental patterns in experiential well-being.

ABSTRACT: A large body of previous research suggests that people's global evaluations of their well-being tend to increase as a function of age. Fewer studies, however, have examined the extent to which people's in vivo experiences of well-being (e.g., felt emotions) vary as a function of age-and the existing findings are mixed. The present study used an approximately nationally representative sample of more than 2,500 Germans to evaluate developmental patterns in both experiential and global well-being using cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. The cross-sectional and longitudinal findings converged on the idea that affect-whether positive or negative, global or experiential-decreases as a function of age and time. In contrast, life satisfaction appears to remain consistent, or perhaps decline across midlife before rebounding in old age. These findings suggest that affective well-being may develop in a nuanced way across adulthood: Negative affect appears to ebb with age-but so does positive affect. (PsycINFO Database Record

SUBMITTER: Hudson NW

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5369238 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Getting older, feeling less? A cross-sectional and longitudinal investigation of developmental patterns in experiential well-being.

Hudson Nathan W NW Lucas Richard E RE Donnellan M Brent MB

Psychology and aging 20161201 8

A large body of previous research suggests that people's global evaluations of their well-being tend to increase as a function of age. Fewer studies, however, have examined the extent to which people's in vivo experiences of well-being (e.g., felt emotions) vary as a function of age-and the existing findings are mixed. The present study used an approximately nationally representative sample of more than 2,500 Germans to evaluate developmental patterns in both experiential and global well-being u ...[more]

PMID: 27929340

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Project description:Environmental conditions affect one's aesthetic experience in natural environments. Understanding that effect requires accounting for the conditions affecting one's attention and experience. Rather than attempt to reduce and control environmental factors, we compare two similar groups during naturally occurring, intense and overwhelming conditions and examine the relationship between common characteristics as well as environment and group differences. Participants undertook a 5-day, winter, wilderness adventure training course designed to challenge their considerable wilderness and leadership skills under two different extreme weather conditions but within the same wilderness area (n = 47 full participation). In addition to pre- and post-adventure questionnaires, participants responded daily during the wilderness experience to briefly describe a self-selected, strong experience of nature; characterize its associated feeling states; and answer questions probing eight aesthetic aspects of the experience. Participant strong experience of nature related to hedonic and eudaimonic feelings in different ways depending upon environmental conditions. In particular, strong correlations occurred between agreement ratings with "I felt at home in nature" daily experience reports and satisfaction with life and personal growth trait measures, but primarily during sunny and cold conditions on a high plateau (PG: Pearson r = 0.51; SWL: r = 0.70) and not significantly in stormy and wet weather in a mountain forest. In addition, experience narratives that correspond to strongest agreement to feeling at home in nature were examined for shared themes and synthesized into six dimensions: focus on sensory experiences at a particular moment, self-reflection, wonder, appreciation of beauty, positive emotions, and insight of relation to nature. These findings actualize the notion of wonder, aroused by sudden feelings or by reflection, as a salient ingredient in feeling at home in wilderness. The finding of feeling at home in nature, as the most important feature relating to feelings and well-being, is discussed in relation to self-awareness, philosophical thinking, and potential ethical awareness.

Project description:BackgroundDigital gaming has become increasingly popular among older adults, potentially offering cognitive, social, and physical benefits. However, its broader impact on health and well-being, particularly in real-world settings, remains unclear.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the multidimensional effects of digital gaming on health and well-being among older adults, using data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study conducted in Matsudo City, Chiba, Japan.MethodsData were drawn from 3 survey waves (2020 prebaseline, 2021 baseline, and 2022 follow-up) of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, which targets functionally independent older adults. The exposure variable, digital gaming, was defined as regular video game play and was assessed in 2021. In total, 18 outcomes across 6 domains were evaluated in 2022; domain 1-happiness and life satisfaction, domain 2-physical and mental health, domain 3-meaning and purpose, domain 4-character and virtue, domain 5-close social relationships, and domain 6-health behavior. Furthermore, 10 items from the Human Flourishing Index were included in domains 1-5, with 2 items for each domain. Overall flourishing was defined as the average of the means across these 5 domains. In addition, 7 items related to domains 2, 5, and 6 were assessed. The final sample consisted of 2504 participants aged 65 years or older, with questionnaires containing the Human Flourishing Index randomly distributed to approximately half of the respondents (submodule: n=1243). Consequently, we used 2 datasets for analysis. We applied targeted maximum likelihood estimation to estimate the population average treatment effects, with Bonferroni correction used to adjust for multiple testing.ResultsDigital gaming was not significantly associated with overall flourishing or with any of the 5 domains from the Human Flourishing Index. Although initial analyses indicated associations between digital gaming and participation in hobby groups (mean difference=0.12, P=.005) as well as meeting with friends (mean difference=0.076, P=.02), these associations did not remain significant after applying the Bonferroni correction for multiple testing. In addition, digital gaming was not associated with increased sedentary behavior or reduced outdoor activities.ConclusionsThis study provides valuable insights into the impact of digital gaming on the health and well-being of older adults in a real-world context. Although digital gaming did not show a significant association with improvements in flourishing or in the individual items across the 5 domains, it was also not associated with increased sedentary behavior or reduced outdoor activities. These findings suggest that digital gaming can be part of a balanced lifestyle for older adults, offering opportunities for social engagement, particularly through hobby groups. Considering the solitary nature of gaming, promoting social gaming opportunities may be a promising approach to enhance the positive effects of digital gaming on well-being.

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Dataset Information

Getting older, feeling less? A cross-sectional and longitudinal investigation of developmental patterns in experiential well-being.

Publications

Getting older, feeling less? A cross-sectional and longitudinal investigation of developmental patterns in experiential well-being.

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