Age Advantages in Emotional Experience Persist Even Under Threat From
the COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is creating unprecedented, sustained, and
unavoidable stress for the entire population, with older people facing
particularly heightened risk of contracting the virus and suffering
severe complications including death. The present study was conducted
when the pandemic was spreading exponentially in the United States. To
address important theoretical questions about age differences in
emotional experience in times of crisis, we surveyed a representative
sample of 945 Americans aged 18-76 and assessed the frequency and
intensity of a range of positive and negative emotions. We also assessed
perceived risk of contagion and complications from the virus, as well as
personality, health, and demographic characteristics. Age was associated
with relatively greater emotional well-being with and without
controlling for perceived risk and other covariates. Findings extend
previous research about age and emotion by demonstrating that older
adults’ relatively better emotional well-being persists even in the face
of prolonged stress.
Accepted for COVID-19 fast-track publication in Psychological Science.