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The Role of Age and Motivation for the Experience of Social Acceptance and Rejection


Nikitin, Jana; Schoch, Simone; Freund, Alexandra M (2014). The Role of Age and Motivation for the Experience of Social Acceptance and Rejection. Developmental Psychology, 50(7):1943-1950.

Abstract

A study with n = 55 younger (18–33 years, M = 23.67) and n = 58 older (61–85 years, M = 71.44) adults investigated age-related differences in social approach and avoidance motivation and their consequences for the experience of social interactions. Results confirmed the hypothesis that a predominant habitual approach motivation in younger adults shifts toward a stronger avoidance motivation in older adults. Moreover, age and momentary motivation predicted the experience of an actual social interaction. Younger adults reported stronger negative emotions in a rejection situation when striving to approach acceptance rather than avoid rejection. Conversely, older adults reported fewer positive emotions in a rejection situation when they attempted to avoid rejection rather than approach acceptance.
Taken together, the present study demonstrates that the same motivation has different consequences for the experience of potentially threatening social situations in younger and older adults. People seem to react emotionally when the achievement of important developmental goals (approaching others in young adulthood, avoiding negative social interactions in older adulthood) is thwarted. Moreover, results suggest that approach and avoidance motivation play an important role for socioemotional development.

Abstract

A study with n = 55 younger (18–33 years, M = 23.67) and n = 58 older (61–85 years, M = 71.44) adults investigated age-related differences in social approach and avoidance motivation and their consequences for the experience of social interactions. Results confirmed the hypothesis that a predominant habitual approach motivation in younger adults shifts toward a stronger avoidance motivation in older adults. Moreover, age and momentary motivation predicted the experience of an actual social interaction. Younger adults reported stronger negative emotions in a rejection situation when striving to approach acceptance rather than avoid rejection. Conversely, older adults reported fewer positive emotions in a rejection situation when they attempted to avoid rejection rather than approach acceptance.
Taken together, the present study demonstrates that the same motivation has different consequences for the experience of potentially threatening social situations in younger and older adults. People seem to react emotionally when the achievement of important developmental goals (approaching others in young adulthood, avoiding negative social interactions in older adulthood) is thwarted. Moreover, results suggest that approach and avoidance motivation play an important role for socioemotional development.

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Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:06 Faculty of Arts > Institute of Psychology
08 Research Priority Programs > Dynamics of Healthy Aging
Dewey Decimal Classification:150 Psychology
Scopus Subject Areas:Social Sciences & Humanities > Demography
Social Sciences & Humanities > Developmental and Educational Psychology
Social Sciences & Humanities > Life-span and Life-course Studies
Language:English
Date:2014
Deposited On:17 Jun 2014 15:45
Last Modified:24 Jan 2022 04:19
Publisher:American Psychological Association
ISSN:0012-1649
OA Status:Green
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1037/a0036979
  • Content: Accepted Version