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RESEARCH PRODUCT

EMBEDDING CONTEXT IN INVESTIGATIONS OF AFFECTIVE VARIABILITY: AGE DIFFERENCES IN AFFECT-HEALTH LINKS

subject

description

Context plays a potentially important role in explaining variability in affective experiences and yet, has often been overlooked in this line of research. The current study used data from a lifespan sample of 398 German participants ranging between 12–88 years of age (M = 40, SD = 20). Participants completed computer assisted personal interviews regarding health and well-being measures, as well as experience sampling assessments of daily affective experiences and events (e.g., uplifts). Three indices of positive affect (PA) were created: mean PA, PA reactivity to uplifts, and PA variability. In general, greater mean PA and lower PA reactivity and variability were associated with better health and well-being. These effects were more pronounced with older age. The findings suggest the importance of considering both contextual and motivational factors that could contribute to affect-health links across the lifespan.