ERIC Number: EJ1015284
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Jul
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0165-0254
EISSN: N/A
Age-Related Differences in Evaluating Developmental Stability
Mustafic, Maida; Freund, Alexandra M.
International Journal of Behavioral Development, v37 n4 p376-386 Jul 2013
Two studies examined the hypothesis that the evaluation of developmental stability changes across adulthood. Results of Study 1 ("N" = 119) supported the expectation that older adults ("M"[subscript age] = 65.29 years)--compared to younger ("M"[subscript age] = 23.38 years) and middle-aged adults ("M"[subscript age] = 38.68 years)--evaluate developmental stability more positively and losses less negatively across all life domains included in this study (subjective well-being, social relationships, cognition, physical functioning). Replicating and extending these findings, Study 2 ("N" = 182, age-range: 18-86 years) demonstrated that these age-related differences exist only for stability on an explicit and implicit level of evaluation. Moreover, Study 2 shows that the positive evaluation of stability increases after resource investments into maintaining stability were made salient. We discuss the results in relation to motivational orientation and psychological adjustment to developmental change. (Contains 2 figures.)
Descriptors: Age Differences, Hypothesis Testing, Developmental Stages, Adults, Well Being, Interpersonal Relationship, Cognitive Ability, Physical Fitness, Aging (Individuals), Foreign Countries, Young Adults, Older Adults, Expectation, Questionnaires, Multiple Regression Analysis
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Publication Type: Reports - Research; Journal Articles
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
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Identifiers - Location: Austria; Germany; Switzerland
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A