Positivity effects in self-defining memories in men and women across adulthood: different patterns between self-rated affect and content-coded meaning.
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| Title: | Positivity effects in self-defining memories in men and women across adulthood: different patterns between self-rated affect and content-coded meaning. |
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| Authors: | Liao, Hsiao-Wen (AUTHOR), Westerhof, Gerben J. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Cognition & Emotion. May2026, Vol. 40 Issue 3, p584-599. 16p. |
| Subjects: | Positivity effect (Psychology), Autobiographical memory, Age differences, Gender differences (Sociology), Adult development, Interpretation (Philosophy) |
| Abstract: | The positivity effect (PE) refers to older adults' selective attention and memory to positive over negative information. Older adults often rate their personal memories more positively and less negatively than younger people. However, findings are mixed when memory content is analysed. This study examined the PE using self-report and content-coded measures in self-defining memories (SDMs) and the role of gender in moderating the PE. A representative sample (N = 1985; 18–92 years) reported three SDMs and rated positive and negative affect toward each memory on three occasions within the one-year interval. Each memory was coded for positive and negative meaning-making. Memory valence was also coded to determine positive and negative SDMs. Multilevel analyses showed that age predicted greater positive and lower negative affect. Mixed findings emerged when meaning-making was featured. Age predicted lower positive and lower negative meaning-making in negative SDMs. Gender moderated the PE. Women showed greater age-related negativity reduction than men in negative SDMs assessed by self-rated affect. While women presented greater negative meaning-making in negative SDMs than men, the gap converged in older age. These findings were controlled for mental health symptoms. Together, this study suggests that how SDMs are felt and narrated may be two distinct processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Cognition & Emotion is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 193251330 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Positivity effects in self-defining memories in men and women across adulthood: different patterns between self-rated affect and content-coded meaning. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Liao%2C+Hsiao-Wen%22">Liao, Hsiao-Wen</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Westerhof%2C+Gerben+J%2E%22">Westerhof, Gerben J.</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Cognition+%26+Emotion%22">Cognition & Emotion</searchLink>. May2026, Vol. 40 Issue 3, p584-599. 16p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Positivity+effect+%28Psychology%29%22">Positivity effect (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autobiographical+memory%22">Autobiographical memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+differences%22">Age differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+differences+%28Sociology%29%22">Gender differences (Sociology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adult+development%22">Adult development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interpretation+%28Philosophy%29%22">Interpretation (Philosophy)</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: The positivity effect (PE) refers to older adults' selective attention and memory to positive over negative information. Older adults often rate their personal memories more positively and less negatively than younger people. However, findings are mixed when memory content is analysed. This study examined the PE using self-report and content-coded measures in self-defining memories (SDMs) and the role of gender in moderating the PE. A representative sample (N = 1985; 18–92 years) reported three SDMs and rated positive and negative affect toward each memory on three occasions within the one-year interval. Each memory was coded for positive and negative meaning-making. Memory valence was also coded to determine positive and negative SDMs. Multilevel analyses showed that age predicted greater positive and lower negative affect. Mixed findings emerged when meaning-making was featured. Age predicted lower positive and lower negative meaning-making in negative SDMs. Gender moderated the PE. Women showed greater age-related negativity reduction than men in negative SDMs assessed by self-rated affect. While women presented greater negative meaning-making in negative SDMs than men, the gap converged in older age. These findings were controlled for mental health symptoms. Together, this study suggests that how SDMs are felt and narrated may be two distinct processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Cognition & Emotion is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/02699931.2025.2525475 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 16 StartPage: 584 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Positivity effect (Psychology) Type: general – SubjectFull: Autobiographical memory Type: general – SubjectFull: Age differences Type: general – SubjectFull: Gender differences (Sociology) Type: general – SubjectFull: Adult development Type: general – SubjectFull: Interpretation (Philosophy) Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Positivity effects in self-defining memories in men and women across adulthood: different patterns between self-rated affect and content-coded meaning. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Liao, Hsiao-Wen – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Westerhof, Gerben J. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 05 Text: May2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 02699931 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 40 – Type: issue Value: 3 Titles: – TitleFull: Cognition & Emotion Type: main |
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