Social Interrelations in Aging

Hoppmann, Christiane A.; Gerstorf, Denis

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-411469-2.00014-5

Cited by 30 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Thus, we could not screen out accidental and other sudden causes of death not preceded by a prodromal period of decline, nor could we differentiate dementias from other chronic conditions. It is possible that social resources are particularly important for late-life well-being when people are confronted with debilitating chronic health conditions (Hoppmann & Gerstorf, 2016). Furthermore, the annual assessment schedule approaches its limits when it comes to better understanding the very last months of life.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terminal decline in well-being: The role of social orientation.

Gerstorf¹,

Hoppmann²,

Löckenhoff³

et al. 2016

Psychology and Aging

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Well-being development at the end of life is often characterized by steep deteriorations, but individual differences in these terminal declines are substantial and not yet well understood. This study moved beyond the typical consideration of health predictors and explored the role of social orientation and engagement. To do so, we made use of social variables at the behavioral level (self-ratings of social participation) and the motivational level (valuing social and family goals), assessed two to four years before death. We applied single- and multi-phase growth models to up to 27-year annual longitudinal data from 2,910 now deceased participants of the nation-wide German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP; age at death: M = 74 years; SD = 14; 48% women). Results revealed that leading a socially active life and prioritizing social goals in late life were independently associated with higher late-life well-being, less pronounced late-life decline, and a later onset of terminal decline. Significant interaction effects suggested that the effects of (reduced) social participation and (lowered) social goals were compounding each other.compound. Findings also indicated that less decline in social participation was associated with shallower rates and a later onset of well-being decline. We found little evidence that valuing family goals is associated with late-life trajectories of well-being. Associations were independent of key correlates of well-being and mortality, including age at death, gender, education, disability, hospital stays, and goals in other life domains. We discuss possible pathways by which maintaining social orientation into late life may help mitigate terminal decline in well-being.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terminal decline in well-being: The role of social orientation.

Gerstorf¹,

Hoppmann²,

Löckenhoff³

et al. 2016

Psychology and Aging

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“…Synchrony’s potential health benefits and costs might be particularly pronounced in old age when people are confronted with declining resources, and thus tend to turn to each other for support (Hoppmann & Gerstorf, 2016). Older adults are—under select circumstances—hypothesized to purposefully depend on other people as an active strategy that promotes successful aging (Baltes et al, 1999) and place greater emphasis on maintaining emotionally close relationships (Carstensen, 1992).…”

Section: A Developmental–contextual Model Of Couple Synchrony (Cosynch)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Older adults are—under select circumstances—hypothesized to purposefully depend on other people as an active strategy that promotes successful aging (Baltes et al, 1999) and place greater emphasis on maintaining emotionally close relationships (Carstensen, 1992). As such, the relationship with the romantic partner may be especially salient for health and well-being in older adults (Hoppmann & Gerstorf, 2016). For some older couples, being coordinated with one another might be of crucial importance for their health and well-being in everyday life, and for maintaining the capacity to live independently.…”

Section: A Developmental–contextual Model Of Couple Synchrony (Cosynch)mentioning

confidence: 99%

A developmental–contextual model of couple synchrony across adulthood and old age.

Pauly

Gerstorf

Wahl

et al. 2021

Psychology and Aging

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Most theoretical models on social dynamics governing development and health across adulthood and old age rely on a “single-unit” approach. We put forth a developmental–contextual model (CoSynch) that utilizes the concept of synchrony (interdependent fluctuations in physiological states and health behaviors) as a novel way to conceptualize social developmental dynamics. Using the sample case of romantic partners, this model aims for an innovative integration of available findings addressing everyday microsocial dynamics in dyads that contribute to overall partner concordance in health trajectories. Specifically, the model builds on 5 propositions to integrate existing empirical findings and infuse future research. Proposition P1: Synchrony is shaped by closeness and shared contexts; P2: Synchrony in physiology and health behaviors follows a u-shaped curve with younger and older adult couples showing greater synchrony than middle-aged couples, but with greater diversification of synchrony in very old age; P3: Couple synchrony is profoundly shaped by life events; P4: Synchrony is correlated with pertinent individual and dyad characteristics; P5: Effects of everyday couple synchrony accumulate over time, thereby carrying significant implications for the health of all involved parties. We also point to open questions and suggest future directions for applying the model that are going to advance knowledge on the social and health dynamics underlying adult development and aging.

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“…However, the nature, correlates, and consequences of emotional similarity, defined here as reporting similar affective states, are still not well understood (see Schoebi & Randall, 2015; Sels, Ceulemans, & Kuppens, 2018). For example, it remains unclear whether the association of emotional similarity and positive relationship outcomes as found in younger dyads, often randomly paired in the lab, generalizes to the everyday life dynamics of older long-term partners, a highly relevant question because older couples are often particularly interdependent (see Hoppmann & Gerstorf, 2016; Lang, 2001).…”

Section: Emotional Similarity In Older Couplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

I Feel You, We Can Do This

et al. 2020

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Abstract. We investigated whether similarity between partners in positive and negative affect is associated with the perception that one manages everyday life well together as a couple (dyadic mastery). To this end, we used data from 99 older couples (mean age = 75 years; mean length of relationship = 45 years) obtained 5 times a day over 7 consecutive days as participants went about their everyday lives. Analyses using actor-partner interdependence models revealed that higher (average and momentary) similarity in negative affect between partners, but not positive affect between partners, was associated with higher levels of dyadic mastery among both men and women. Our results point to the significance of emotional similarity between partners for smooth relationship functioning.

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Social Interrelations in Aging

Cited by 30 publications

References 52 publications

Terminal decline in well-being: The role of social orientation.

Terminal decline in well-being: The role of social orientation.

A developmental–contextual model of couple synchrony across adulthood and old age.

I Feel You, We Can Do This

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