Emotional well-being and interactions with older adults’ close social partners: Daily variation in social context matters.

Older adults with vision loss and a friend or family member were interviewed over a 2-year period. We examined the effects of driving cessation on life satisfaction among older adults and a social contact. Drivers’ use of public transportation was examined as a moderator. Driving cessation was associated with a decline in life satisfaction among social partners but not for the drivers. Drivers’ use of public transportation at baseline moderated the effects of cessation on changes in well-being among social partners, but had little effect on the life satisfaction of the drivers. Life satisfaction was greater among the social partners of ex-drivers who used public transportation more frequently. The association between driving cessation and well-being should be studied in the context of older drivers’ social networks. Infrastructure (e.g., subways and buses) that supports transportation needs plays an important role in mitigating the effects of cessation on older adults’ social networks.

Download Full-text

Social Encounters and Mood: The Moderating Role of Narcissism

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.961 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 250-250

Author(s):

Karen Fingerman ◽

Shiyang Zhang

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Multilevel Models ◽

Negative Mood ◽

Positive Mood ◽

Well Being ◽

Social Contacts ◽

Social Partners ◽

Social Encounters ◽

Ecological Momentary

Abstract Social contacts may lead to more positive and less negative emotions in late life, yet we know little about how narcissism influences such associations, and whether contacts with close and not-close social partners impact mood differently. This study examined associations between social contacts, narcissism, and mood on the within- and between- person level. Older adults aged 65 + (N = 303) completed ecological momentary assessments in which they reported social contacts and mood every 3 hours for 5 to 6 days. Older adults had higher positive mood after contacting either close or not-close social partners, but only not-close social partners reduced negative mood. Multilevel models found positive associations between average social contacts number and positive mood among people scored lower on narcissism, and positive associations between social contacts and negative mood for those who scored higher on narcissism. Findings suggest the necessity of considering interpersonal differences in interventions targeting well-being.

Download Full-text

THE IMPLICATIONS OF DIGITAL SOCIAL INTERACTIONS FOR OLDER ADULTS’ EXPERIENCES OF WELL-BEING IN DAILY LIFE

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.053 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S15-S15

Author(s):

Shannon T Mejia ◽

Shelbie Turner ◽

Karen Hooker

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Interactions ◽

Social Relationships ◽

Daily Life ◽

Communication Technologies ◽

Well Being ◽

Random Coefficient Models ◽

Social Partners ◽

Personal Understanding

Abstract Digital communication technologies expand opportunities for social interactions and as a result have the potential to either amplify or dampen the coupling of social interactions with well-being in daily life. We use data from the 100-day Personal Understanding of Life and Social Experiences project (n = 99, age = 50 – 88) to examine variation in the sensitivity of older adults’ daily reports of well-being to the quality of social interactions with their five closest social partners across digital (email/social media) and analogue (in person/by phone) interactions. Digital interactions were more common among less-close social partners. Multilevel random coefficient models showed days with more digital interactions than normal to be characterized by a) lower well-being and b) less sensitivity in well-being to the quality of social interactions with close social partners on that day. The implications of our findings are discussed within a life-span perspective of social relationships and well-being.

Download Full-text

Older adults’ empathy and daily support exchanges

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/0265407519837372 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 36 (11-12) ◽

pp. 3814-3834 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Meng Huo ◽

Jamie L. Fuentecilla ◽

Kira S. Birditt ◽

Karen L. Fingerman

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Mobile Phone ◽

Emotional Support ◽

Positive Mood ◽

Well Being ◽

Instrumental Support ◽

Daily Experiences ◽

Social Partners

Older adults’ empathy may shape the frequency and types of support that they exchange with their social partners as well as the implications of these exchanges. This study drew on the Daily Experiences and Well-being Study, which included adults aged 65 and over and tracked them across 5–6 days using mobile phone surveys. Participants ( n = 293) rated their empathy and reported their daily support exchanges (e.g., emotional support, instrumental support, advice) as well as mood. Findings showed that more empathic older adults provided each type of support more often. They also received more emotional support than less empathic older adults. Moreover, older adults’ empathy moderated the associations between providing support and their daily mood. More empathic older adults maintained their mood regardless of whether they provided support. By contrast, less empathic older adults reported reduced positive mood on days when they provided emotional support and increased positive mood when they provided instrumental support. Greater empathy is associated with more frequent support exchanges; however, more empathic older adults appear immune to such exchanges in terms of their mood. Interestingly, less empathic older adults may find providing emotional support draining but instrumental support rewarding, probably because they are less equipped to cope with others’ emotions.

Download Full-text

Aging in Context: The Past, Present, and Future of Research on Older Adults’ Social Ties

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1852 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 562-562

Author(s):

Christina Marini ◽

Stephanie Wilson ◽

Katherine Fiori

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Context ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Negative Mood ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Protective Effects ◽

Gay Couples ◽

The Past ◽

And Control

Abstract This symposium will examine positive and negative aspects of older adults’ relationships and their impacts on health and well-being. We will begin by reviewing the past decade of research on family gerontology. Seidel’s meta-analysis of 995 articles will identify prominent theories and methods, as well as remaining research gaps. The subsequent presentations provide current, cutting-edge research. Marini examines how associations between rumination and sleep unfold within a social context. The findings highlight how spousal support protects older adults’ sleep quality from rumination, whereas support from family and friends is vulnerable to rumination. Using an actor-partner approach, Novak investigates the dynamics of support and control on health among older gay couples. Results reveal the benefits of support and risks of control for partners’ diet quality and depression. Ermer adopts a dyadic perspective to examine links between self-perceptions of aging and inflammation. Results highlight how wives’ inflammation is sensitive to husbands’ aging perceptions, particularly if marital strain is low. Finally, Wilson characterizes age-graded patterns of relationship narratives and their protective effects on emotional well-being. The findings demonstrate how older-adult couples’ narratives are less self- and present-focused, which helps explain protective linkages between age and negative mood. The symposium will conclude with remarks from discussant Katherine Fiori, a GSA Fellow and internationally recognized scholar on older adults’ social networks. She will synthesize the research and put forth her new theory about the importance of peripheral ties in later life to help direct the future of research on older adults within a social context.

Download Full-text

CHATTIER WITH FRIENDS: OLDER ADULTS’ DAILY SOCIAL CONTACT AND CONVERSATION

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.614 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S172-S173

Author(s):

Yee To Ng ◽

Meng Huo ◽

Karen Fingerman

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Skills ◽

Multilevel Models ◽

Family Members ◽

Social Contact ◽

Well Being ◽

Daily Basis ◽

Social Partner ◽

Social Partners ◽

Ecological Momentary

Abstract Studies suggest conversation improves cognitive skills among older adults. While contact with family members is common in late life, contact with friends and acquaintances is relatively less frequent. Yet, we know little about how often older adults engage in conversation when they have contact with different social partners. This study used data from the Daily Experiences and Well-being Study to investigate how older adults talk with different social partners on a daily basis. Participants (N = 303) completed an initial interview about their social partners and reported on their contact with each social partner in ecological momentary assessments every 3 hours across 5 to 6 days. Participants also wore Electronically Activated Recorders (EAR), which captured snippets of their daily conversation. Findings revealed that contact with family members (e.g., spouse, children, siblings) occurred most often, with less frequent contact with other social partners (e.g., acquaintances, neighbors), and then friends. Multilevel models also revealed that participants talked more (i.e., saying more words in each 30-second snippet and had a greater proportion of snippets when they talked) when they had contact with their friends than when they had contact with family members or other social partners. Results from these multiple methods suggest that daily contact with friends could potentially encourage conversation that may facilitate cognitive functioning among older adults.

Download Full-text

Friendships in Old Age: Daily Encounters and Emotional Well-Being

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/gbaa007 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Yee To Ng ◽

Meng Huo ◽

Marci E Gleason ◽

Lisa A Neff ◽

Susan T Charles ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Old Age ◽

Multilevel Models ◽

Negative Mood ◽

Well Being ◽

Romantic Partners ◽

Background Information ◽

Social Partners ◽

Stressful Experiences ◽

Ecological Momentary

Abstract Objectives Having friends in old age is linked to higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction. Yet, we know little about older adults’ emotional experiences when they encounter friends throughout the day. This study examined whether older adults reported (a) more pleasantness, (b) fewer conversations about stressful experiences, and (c) better mood when they had contact with friends compared to when they had contact with other social partners or were alone throughout the day. We also examined whether these experiences varied by the friendship closeness. Method Adults aged 65+ (n = 313) from the Daily Experiences and Well-being Study provided background information and listed and described their close social partners. Participants then completed ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys every 3 hr for 5 to 6 days where they reported their encounters with social partners, rated the pleasantness and indicated whether they discussed stressful issues during these encounters, and rated positive and negative mood. Results Multilevel models revealed that encounters with friends were more pleasant and were associated with fewer discussions about stressful experiences compared to encounters with romantic partners or family members throughout the day. Encounters with friends were also associated with better mood, though this link only held for encounters with friends who were not considered close. Discussion Findings are discussed in terms of functionalist theory, socioemotional selectivity theory, relationship ambivalence, and the benefits of less close ties. This work facilitates the understanding of how daily contact with friends can promote older adults’ emotional well-being.

Download Full-text

Empathy and Close Social Ties in Late Life

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/gbz044 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 75 (8) ◽

pp. 1648-1657

Author(s):

Meng Huo ◽

Jamie L Fuentecilla ◽

Kira S Birditt ◽

Karen L Fingerman

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Network ◽

Social Ties ◽

Well Being ◽

Network Size ◽

Social Experiences ◽

Social Worlds ◽

Daily Experiences ◽

Social Network Structure ◽

Social Partners

Abstract Objectives Older adults with stronger social ties often lead longer, healthier, and happier lives, but these ties may differ based on older adults’ ability to share and understand others’ emotions (i.e., empathy). This study asked how empathy was associated with the way that older adults construct and engage in their social worlds. Method We drew on the Daily Experiences and Well-being Study to examine how older adults’ empathy was associated with the structure (e.g., network size and contact), function (e.g., support), and quality (e.g., affection and conflict) of their close social ties. Participants (N = 333) self-rated empathy and listed their social partners using three concentric convoy circles. Results Empathy was not associated with older adults’ social network structure, but more empathic older adults exchanged support with more social partners and reported greater affection for their social partners. We did not observe a significant link between older adults’ empathy and conflict with social partners. Discussion Examining empathy advances our understanding of individual differences in older adults’ close social ties. This study suggests that empathy may play a promising role with regard to promoting older adults’ social experiences and strengthening their close ties.

Download Full-text

Relationship Status, Social Interactions, and Conversations in Late Life

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1336 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 414-414

Author(s):

Yee To Ng ◽

Meng Huo ◽

Shiyang Zhang ◽

Karen Fingerman

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Interactions ◽

Multilevel Models ◽

Well Being ◽

Romantic Partners ◽

Relationship Status ◽

Never Married ◽

Social Partners ◽

Social Encounters ◽

Ecological Momentary

Abstract Studies suggest spending more time interacting with and talking to others is associated with better well-being. Older adults with partners (e.g., married, cohabitated) may spend more time with their romantic partners and rely on them for support, whereas older adults without partners (e.g., widowed, divorced, never married) may have a greater reliance on other family members (e.g., grown children, siblings) and non-kin (e.g., friends). Yet, we know little about how older adults’ relationship status affects their time spending alone or with other social partners, and the frequency of conversation throughout the day. Adults aged 65+ (N = 313) completed an interview about their relationship status and social partners. They then reported social encounters in ecological momentary assessments every 3 hours for 5 to 6 days. Participants also wore Electronically Activated Recorders which captured snippets of their conversation throughout the day. Older adults with partners reported 85% of time was with their romantic partners. Multilevel models revealed that compared to older adults with partners, older adults without partners were more likely to spend time alone and have encounters with friends throughout the day. Older adults without partners also engaged in fewer conversations throughout the day. Further, older adults without partners talked significantly more when they encountered friends than did older adults with partners. Findings suggest that friends are important in older adults’ social networks particularly for those who do not have romantic partners. Daily contact with social partners facilitates conversations and that could have implications for emotional or cognitive health.

Download Full-text

Positive Peripheral Social Network Members in Older Age: Global and Daily Appraisals of Social Partners

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.3311 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 922-922

Author(s):

Claire Growney ◽

Tammy English

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Network ◽

Close Relationships ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Well Being ◽

Sampling Procedure ◽

Social Partner ◽

Younger Adults ◽

Relationship Closeness ◽

Social Partners

Abstract Socioemotional selectivity theory suggests older adults maintain relationships with close social partners with whom they experience positive emotions. It is unclear how age and closeness predict social partner appraisals in different contexts. We examine semantic and experiential appraisals of positivity, as well as emotional outcomes. Participants (N = 258) aged 25-85 (M = 52.05, SD = 16.31) reported their general experience of enjoyment and conflict with social partners of varying closeness. In an experience sampling procedure (6x/day for 10 days), participants reported their current experience of emotions and information about their most recent social interaction: pleasure, discomfort, and relationship closeness with their social partner. Semantic (global) appraisals of relationships positively predicted experiential (daily) appraisals, and this association was stronger among relatively older adults. Results revealed older adults gave less negative appraisals compared to younger adults, regardless of closeness. Older adults reported more positive appraisals than younger adults for non-close relationships, whereas close relationships were evaluated positively regardless of age. For younger adults, interaction pleasure with non-close partners was less strongly linked to subsequent positive emotions than pleasure with close partners. For older adults, however, interaction pleasure predicted greater subsequent positive emotions regardless of relationship closeness. Overall, these findings suggest older adults’ positive appraisals of partners are not simply the result of emotionally gratifying memory distortions. Older adults may be able to derive emotional benefits from a wider variety of social interactions than younger adults, suggesting peripheral social network members can be leveraged to enhance emotional well-being in later adulthood.

Download Full-text