Diversity of social interactions is related to higher emodiversity among older adults

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Variability in the emotions that people experience in daily life (emodiversity) is often related to better physical and mental health. However, it is unclear how the diversity of emotional experiences is related to daily interactions in old age. This study examined the social context of diversity in emotions among older adults. METHODS: = 144) completed a daily diary for six days, reporting their positive and negative emotions and social interactions with individuals of varying levels of closeness. RESULTS: Higher diversity of social contacts across levels of closeness (sociodiversity) was related to higher positive emodiversity. The association of sociodiversity with negative emodiversity was moderated by age. Among adults of older ages, higher sociodiversity was related to lower negative emodiversity. Meeting people from the middle circle of closeness ('close' but not 'very close' ties) was also related to higher positive emodiversity. An interaction with age showed that young-old adults who met close ties experienced higher negative emodiversity. DISCUSSION: More sociodiversity in daily interactions is related to higher positive emodiversity. However, the links between social ties and negative emodiversity may differ by age.

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