why don’t you get on my nerves anymore? socioemotional aging

Why Don’t You Get on My Nerves Anymore? Why Don’t You Get on My Nerves Anymore? Socioemotional AgingSocioemotional Aging

Karen L. FingermanKaren L. FingermanProfessor Human Development & Family SciencesProfessor Human Development & Family Sciences

Faculty Affiliate, Psychology DepartmentFaculty Affiliate, Psychology Department

University of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at Austin

Relationship Problems Relationship Problems

Poor Mental Health…Poor Mental Health…

With age, adults report With age, adults report fewer problems with:fewer problems with:

Friends Friends (Blieszner & Adams, 1995)(Blieszner & Adams, 1995)

Spouse Spouse (Carstensen, Gottman, & (Carstensen, Gottman, &

Levenson, 1995)Levenson, 1995)

Children Children (Fingerman, Chen, Hay, (Fingerman, Chen, Hay,

Cichy, & Lefkowitz, 2006)Cichy, & Lefkowitz, 2006)

Grandchildren Grandchildren (Fingerman, (Fingerman,

1998)1998)

Sibling Sibling (Bedford, 1989)(Bedford, 1989)

Relationships Relationships (Akiyama, et al., (Akiyama, et al.,

2003; Fingerman & Birditt, 2003; Rook, 1987)2003; Fingerman & Birditt, 2003; Rook, 1987)

Why do they have fewer problems?Why do they have fewer problems?

Person Changes…Person Changes…– EmotionsEmotions– CognitionCognition– BrainBrain

Social Context…Social Context…– Selection of most rewarding partnersSelection of most rewarding partners– RolesRoles

Person Features

Relationship Features

Adult’s

Socioemotional

Response

Partner’s Input

Social Input Model of Socioemotional Response

Fingerman & Baker, 2006; Fingerman & Pitzer, 2007

Fingerman & Charles, 2010

Social Partner’s Input….Social Partner’s Input….

Social partners may hold views of older adults that Social partners may hold views of older adults that influence their behaviors towards that older adult.influence their behaviors towards that older adult.

Perceptions of remaining time.Perceptions of remaining time.

Interpersonal dyadic reactions.Interpersonal dyadic reactions.

It takes two to tango…..It takes two to tango…..

Overview of Social ProblemsOverview of Social Problems((NN = 187) = 187)

TEENAGERS (aged 13-16)TEENAGERS (aged 13-16)

YOUNG ADULTS (20s)YOUNG ADULTS (20s)

MIDDLE-AGED (40s)MIDDLE-AGED (40s)

YOUNG OLD (60s)YOUNG OLD (60s)

OLDEST OLD (80s)OLDEST OLD (80s)

NIA, Grant # AG1448401, “Adults’ Reasoning about Social Problems”NIA, Grant # AG1448401, “Adults’ Reasoning about Social Problems” Fingerman, Hay, & Birditt (2004) Journal of Marriage and Family

Social Problems StudySocial Problems Study

Demographics, vocabulary, & healthDemographics, vocabulary, & health

Social desirabilitySocial desirability

Kahn & Antonucci measureKahn & Antonucci measure

Measure of problematic tiesMeasure of problematic ties

Open-ended questions about interpersonal Open-ended questions about interpersonal problems, behaviors, and emotionsproblems, behaviors, and emotions

Ratings of behaviors and emotionsRatings of behaviors and emotions

Classify relationships as:Classify relationships as:

Close onlyClose only

Problematic onlyProblematic only

Mixed or ambivalentMixed or ambivalent

Average Number of Relationships Average Number of Relationships Classified as Close OnlyClassified as Close Only

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Teen Young Middle Yold Oldold

Close

Average Number of Relationships Average Number of Relationships Classified as AmbivalentClassified as Ambivalent

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

5


Ambivalent

Average Number of Relationships Average Number of Relationships Classified as Problematic OnlyClassified as Problematic Only

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4


Problematic

Overall Findings….Overall Findings….

Older adults experienced fewer ambivalent as well as fewer Older adults experienced fewer ambivalent as well as fewer problematic only ties. problematic only ties.

People of all ages experienced the greatest ambivalence People of all ages experienced the greatest ambivalence towards close family (spouse, child, parent)…towards close family (spouse, child, parent)…

Which means that older adults somehow manage to avoid Which means that older adults somehow manage to avoid getting upset with their close social partners….getting upset with their close social partners….

Young and middle-aged adults are most Young and middle-aged adults are most ambivalent and upset with close familyambivalent and upset with close family

Adult Family StudyAdult Family Study

Phone interviews (CATI) Phone interviews (CATI) individuallyindividually

Background InformationBackground Information

Positive and Negative Qualities of Positive and Negative Qualities of RelationshipsRelationships

Adult Family Study Adult Family Study 158 Families (158 Families (NN = 474) = 474)

Son or Daughter (22 to 49, Son or Daughter (22 to 49, MM = 34 years) = 34 years)

Mother (40 to 82, Mother (40 to 82, MM = 60 years) = 60 years)

Father (43 to 84, Father (43 to 84, MM = 62 years) = 62 years)

Stratified sampling by age, gender, ethnicityStratified sampling by age, gender, ethnicity

Fingerman, NIA Grant AG17916-01, “Problems between Parents and Offspring in Adulthood”

Positive Emotions Positive Emotions

HappyHappy

RelaxedRelaxed

InterestedInterested

PleasedPleased

ProudProud

DelightedDelighted

Negative EmotionsNegative Emotions

IrritationIrritation

Disappointment Disappointment

Guilt Guilt

Worry Worry

JealousJealous

DisgustDisgust

EmbarrassmentEmbarrassment

How do partners’ emotions fit together?How do partners’ emotions fit together?

Intensity of Negative EmotionsIntensity of Negative Emotions

0

1

2

3

Intensity of Negative EmotionsIntensity of Negative Emotions

Offspring worry

Parent feels loved

Hay, Fingerman, Lefkowitz (2007)

Negative for the offspringNegative for the offspring

But positive for the elderly parentBut positive for the elderly parent

Socioemotional Processes as Socioemotional Processes as Interpersonal TransactionsInterpersonal Transactions

IndividualReading Cues & Responding

to Partner

IndividualReading Cues & Responding

to Partner

Age Differences in BehaviorsAge Differences in Behaviors

Tell me about the last time you were irritated, Tell me about the last time you were irritated, bothered, hurt, or annoyed with (name of social bothered, hurt, or annoyed with (name of social partner)partner)

What did you do in this situation? What did you do in this situation?

Birditt & Fingerman (2005) Journals of Gerontology

Coding for ResponsesCoding for Responses

ConstructiveConstructive: discuss problem, ask person to stop, tried to : discuss problem, ask person to stop, tried to solve the problemsolve the problem

AvoidanceAvoidance: Remain calm, pray, do nice things for person : Remain calm, pray, do nice things for person unrelated to the problemunrelated to the problem

ConfrontConfront: Argue, yell, name call: Argue, yell, name call

NeglectNeglect: Ignore person, sulk, not talk to the person: Ignore person, sulk, not talk to the person

A bit more about the codesA bit more about the codes

Reliability established across 100 out of 833 Reliability established across 100 out of 833 responses (12% of data)responses (12% of data)

Kappas ranged from .79 to .93Kappas ranged from .79 to .93

7% of data did not fit any codes 7% of data did not fit any codes

(cry, harm another object, exercise)(cry, harm another object, exercise)

Distributions of BehaviorsDistributions of Behaviors

ConstructiveConstructive AvoidAvoid ConfrontConfront NeglectNeglect

Teens ( n =187)Teens ( n =187) .50.50 .14.14 ..3636 .11.11

Young adult Young adult

(n =203)(n =203)

.56.56 .19.19 .18.18 .10.10

Middle agedMiddle aged

(n =162)(n =162)

.68.68 .14.14 .11.11 .08.08

Young old Young old

(n =179)(n =179)

.68.68 .20.20 .07.07 .05.05

Oldest oldOldest old

(n = 102)(n = 102)

.48.48 .33.33 .09.09 .07.07

Behaviors in Daily Interpersonal ProblemsBehaviors in Daily Interpersonal Problems

National Daily Diary Study National Daily Diary Study ((NN = 1,242) = 1,242) – Part of the MIDUS study Part of the MIDUS study – Adults aged 25 to 74Adults aged 25 to 74– Participants completed interviews about daily stress Participants completed interviews about daily stress

each day for 8 dayseach day for 8 days– 666 participants who indicated that stress involved 666 participants who indicated that stress involved

another person (another person (nn = 1,618 responses) = 1,618 responses)

Birditt, Fingerman, and Almeida (2005)

Replicate FindingsReplicate Findings

Older adults were less likely to argue or Older adults were less likely to argue or use confrontational behaviors than were use confrontational behaviors than were younger adultsyounger adults

Older adults were more likely to “do Older adults were more likely to “do nothing” or describe a non-specific passive nothing” or describe a non-specific passive behaviorbehavior

Summary…..Summary…..

Older adults attempt to avoid interpersonal Older adults attempt to avoid interpersonal tensionstensions

Younger adults more confrontational…Younger adults more confrontational…

But older adults were interacting with other older But older adults were interacting with other older adults, younger adults interacting with younger adults, younger adults interacting with younger adults….adults….

But in the real world…Social partners But in the real world…Social partners come prepackaged by age…come prepackaged by age…

So, how do social partners So, how do social partners

treat older adults?.....treat older adults?.....

Social partners treat Social partners treat older adults better…older adults better…

Holiday Card Study…..Holiday Card Study…..

Fingerman & Griffiths, 1999

How Older Mothers & Daughters Handle How Older Mothers & Daughters Handle TensionsTensions

Mother/Daughter Problems StudyMother/Daughter Problems Study((NN=96)=96)

MothersMothers– Over age 70Over age 70– Well-educatedWell-educated– HealthyHealthy

Daughters Daughters – Mean age 45Mean age 45– Live within 50 miles of their mothersLive within 50 miles of their mothers

Study DesignStudy Design– Individual interviewsIndividual interviews, , joint interviewsjoint interviews, questionnaires, questionnaires

Daughters’ BehaviorsDaughters’ BehaviorsDuring InterviewsDuring Interviews

IndividualDirect

Disclaim

Joint

Direct

Disclaim

Mothers’ BehaviorsMothers’ BehaviorsDuring InterviewsDuring Interviews

Individual

Direct

Disclaim

No response

JointDirect

Disclaim

What’s going on here?What’s going on here?

Daughters see problemsDaughters see problemsBut, in the best relationships But, in the best relationships

tone down their responses in tone down their responses in their mothers’ presencetheir mothers’ presence

Why? Why?

Don’t have much time leftDon’t have much time left

She’s not going to change. She’s not going to change.

Relationships have Time PerspectiveRelationships have Time Perspective

Ho 1: Perception that time in the relationship is running out leads social partners to behave more “positively”

Fingerman, Miller, Charles, 2008

SampleSample

Younger ParticipantsYounger Participants

Aged 22 to 35Aged 22 to 35

nn = 70 = 70

MM = 25.64 years = 25.64 years

57% women57% women

67% college degree67% college degree

Older ParticipantsOlder Participants

Aged 65 to 77Aged 65 to 77

nn = 71 = 71

MM = 70.21 years = 70.21 years

51% women51% women

79% college degree79% college degree

Procedures: Within Participant DesignProcedures: Within Participant Design

Report on the young adult (aged 18 to 35) feel Report on the young adult (aged 18 to 35) feel closest toclosest to

Report on the older adult (age 65+) feel closest toReport on the older adult (age 65+) feel closest to

NOT their romantic partnerNOT their romantic partner

Manipulation of Time Perspective Manipulation of Time Perspective

Young adult: Joining cultural Young adult: Joining cultural immersion program in Peace immersion program in Peace CorpsCorps

Older adult: Moving to Older adult: Moving to retirement community in retirement community in HawaiiHawaii

Reaction to Negative Behavior: Reaction to Negative Behavior: Insult ManipulationInsult Manipulation

Now, imagine the following situation: You are Now, imagine the following situation: You are talking in a group of people, describing a talking in a group of people, describing a problem you are having. (Name of problem you are having. (Name of older/younger adult)_______ responds by saying older/younger adult)_______ responds by saying something highly critical and slightly insulting something highly critical and slightly insulting about you. You are surprised and hurt by these about you. You are surprised and hurt by these remarks.remarks.

3 behavioral responses to insult3 behavioral responses to insult

Confront 2 items: Confront 2 items: Confront, raise voice, Confront, raise voice, = .58 = .58

Engagement 3 items: Engagement 3 items: Calmly discuss, try to find, solution Calmly discuss, try to find, solution = .79= .79

Avoidant 4 items: Avoidant 4 items: Situation blow over, accept nothing can Situation blow over, accept nothing can do, avoid dealing with, act as if nothing going on do, avoid dealing with, act as if nothing going on = .83 = .83

Control for: Typicality of the situationControl for: Typicality of the situation

Other measuresOther measures

IndividualIndividualTime perspectiveTime perspective (Carstensen & Lang, 1996)(Carstensen & Lang, 1996)

Emotional expressivity Emotional expressivity (Kring, Smith, Neale ,1994)(Kring, Smith, Neale ,1994)

Stereotypes Stereotypes (Packer & Chasteen, 2006)(Packer & Chasteen, 2006)

RelationshipRelationship

Time perspective of relationshipTime perspective of relationship

How close, how long known, relationship qualityHow close, how long known, relationship quality

Multilevel Models: PredictorsMultilevel Models: Predictors

Target AgeManipulation: Away on

an island or notFuture Time Perspective

for Relationship

Length of RelationshipPositive Relationship QualityNegative Relationship QualityImportance of Relationship

Blame other partyHow upset about situation Typicality of situation

Participant AgeParticipant GenderParticipant Future Time

PerspectiveEmotional ExpressivityStereotypes of aging

Behavioral responses to insult….Behavioral responses to insult….

Confront if target is young adultConfront if target is young adult

Engagement if target is young adultEngagement if target is young adult

Avoidant if target is older adultAvoidant if target is older adult

NotesNotes::

Partial mediation effect of time perspectivePartial mediation effect of time perspective

Perceptions of Social TransgressionsPerceptions of Social Transgressions

Standardized Vignettes…Standardized Vignettes…

Miller, Charles, Fingerman (2009)

Development ofVignettes:Development ofVignettes:Pilot StudiesPilot Studies

Used tensions from the NSDE and from studies of Used tensions from the NSDE and from studies of most salient interpersonal problemsmost salient interpersonal problems

Rated for age appropriateness, intensityRated for age appropriateness, intensity

Rated names to be cohort transcendentRated names to be cohort transcendent

Included photos rated for attractiveness, positive, Included photos rated for attractiveness, positive, negative emotionnegative emotion

Vignettes about Interpersonal Vignettes about Interpersonal TensionsTensions

Participant RatingsParticipant Ratings

How character would react to transgressionsHow character would react to transgressions Perceived blame and forgivenessPerceived blame and forgiveness Stereotypes of agingStereotypes of aging Background characteristicsBackground characteristics

Mixed Model: ConfrontMixed Model: Confront

Predictor B SEB

Intercept 2.30*** 0.30

Transgressor Age -0.19** 0.06

Controls: Closeness of relationship, participant age, reactor age, gender, familiarity with situation, aging stereotypes

Note. Parameter estimates are fixed effects. *p < .05. ** p < .01. *** p < .001.

Mixed Model: EngagementMixed Model: Engagement

Predictor B SEB


Transgressor Age -0.07 0.05



Mixed Model: AvoidantMixed Model: Avoidant

Predictor B SEB


Transgressor Age 0.13* 0.05



Social partners may contribute to older adults’ Social partners may contribute to older adults’ sense that there are few problems in relationshipssense that there are few problems in relationships

Why do older adults get along better Why do older adults get along better with their social partners?with their social partners?

IndividualIndividual– Better emotion regulationBetter emotion regulation– Less likely to behave aggressivelyLess likely to behave aggressively

Relationship contextsRelationship contexts– Older social partners Older social partners – Fewer contexts in which annoyances ariseFewer contexts in which annoyances arise

Social inputSocial input– Partners are forgivingPartners are forgiving– Protective social inputProtective social input

IndividualSocioemotionalDevelopment

Social Partners’ Beliefs

Interpersonal Transactions

In our personal relationships,In our personal relationships,

The best may be yet The best may be yet to come….to come….

Average Use of Problem-solving Behaviors Toward Average Use of Problem-solving Behaviors Toward Younger and Older TransgressorsYounger and Older Transgressors

why don’t you get on my nerves anymore? socioemotional aging

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