Why do older adults have a better sense of emotional well-being?
Charles and her colleague, Laura Charstensen of Stanford University, think it’s because older adults are better at regulating their emotions than younger people. How? • They’ve learned over the years how to avoid negative experiences. • They limit their exposure to stressful situations and interact with close friends and family members. • Older adults tend to be more optimistic, spending less time thinking about the negative aspects of a situation and focusing more on the positive. • Older people remember past events and emotional experiences–even negative ones–more positively, regardless of how much time has passed. • They let arguments slide to avoid confrontation, having realized they don’t have to fight every battle. The study findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in Toronto, Canada.
