Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
 QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     


This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Löckenhoff, C. E.
Right arrow Articles by Carstensen, L. L.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Löckenhoff, C. E.
Right arrow Articles by Carstensen, L. L.
The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 63:P106-P109 (2008)
© 2008 The Gerontological Society of America


RESEARCH ARTICLE

Decision Strategies in Health Care Choices for Self and Others: Older but not Younger Adults Make Adjustments for the Age of the Decision Target

Corinna E. Löckenhoff and Laura L. Carstensen

Department of Psychology, Stanford University, California.

Address correspondence to Corinna E. Löckenhoff, Biomedical Research Center, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Suite 100 Room 4B323, Baltimore, MD 21224. E-mail: LoeckenhoffC{at}grc.nia.nih.gov

Participants (N = 142 younger and older adults) made health care choices for themselves, a social partner of similar age, or a social partner substantially younger or older than themselves. Using computer-based decision scenarios, participants reviewed positive, negative, or neutral choice criteria before choosing. Older adults who chose for themselves reviewed a greater proportion of positive choice criteria, recalled their choices more positively, and showed more positive emotional responses than did younger adults. Comparable results were found when participants chose for another person of similar age. Older adults who were asked to choose for a young person, however, showed a reduced focus on positive information; in addition, their emotional experience during the review process was less positive. Younger adults' performance was not influenced by the decision target.

Key Words: Age differences • Health care choices • Socioemotional selectivity theory







HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
All GSA journals The Gerontologist
Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
Copyright © 2008 by The Gerontological Society of America.