IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v21y2020i4d10.1007_s10902-019-00136-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does Our Age Affect the Way we Live? A Study on Savoring Strategies Across the Life Span

Author

Listed:
  • Alexandra Marques-Pinto

    (Universidade de Lisboa)

  • Sofia Oliveira

    (Universidade de Lisboa)

  • Andrea Santos

    (Universidade de Lisboa)

  • Cláudia Camacho

    (Universidade de Lisboa)

  • Débora Pires Silva

    (Universidade de Lisboa)

  • Mónica Sofia Pereira

    (Universidade de Lisboa)

Abstract

This study set out to explore the savoring strategies used by adolescents, adults and the elderly with a view to contributing to theory on age and savoring. A sample of 1018 Portuguese participants (n = 114 adolescents in the 3rd cycle of basic education; n = 474 adolescents in secondary education; n = 311 adults; and n = 119 older adults), answered the Positive Experiences Questionnaire, a self-report questionnaire with open-ended questions on savoring strategies used to prolong or intensify the positive emotions associated with positive events, in addition to their respective efficacy. The data content analysis showed that participants use complex strategy patterns to up-regulate their positive emotional experiences, comprising cognitive, behavioral, interpersonal, volitional and sensory strategies. Age differences in savoring were identified, with the adolescents mostly referring to interpersonal strategies, namely taking care of relationships, and the adult and elderly participants predominantly recalling cognitive strategies, more specifically sharing with others and having thoughts of faith or thankfulness, respectively. The majority of participants considered the savoring strategies used to be efficacious and no significant associations were found between the lifespan groups in this regard. These findings may further the understanding of documented differences in subjective well-being across the life-span and inform intervention efforts in this domain. The article closes by suggesting directions for future studies.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexandra Marques-Pinto & Sofia Oliveira & Andrea Santos & Cláudia Camacho & Débora Pires Silva & Mónica Sofia Pereira, 2020. "Does Our Age Affect the Way we Live? A Study on Savoring Strategies Across the Life Span," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 1509-1528, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:21:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s10902-019-00136-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-019-00136-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-019-00136-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-019-00136-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Daniel Hurley & Paul Kwon, 2012. "Results of a Study to Increase Savoring the Moment: Differential Impact on Positive and Negative Outcomes," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 13(4), pages 579-588, August.
    2. Susan Turk Charles & Gloria Luong & David M. Almeida & Carol Ryff & Maggie Sturm & Gayle Love, 2010. "Fewer Ups and Downs: Daily Stressors Mediate Age Differences in Negative Affect," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 65(3), pages 279-286.
    3. Fred Bryant & Colette Smart & Scott King, 2005. "Using the Past to Enhance the Present: Boosting Happiness Through Positive Reminiscence," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 227-260, September.
    4. Ilies, Remus & Keeney, Jessica & Scott, Brent A., 2011. "Work-family interpersonal capitalization: Sharing positive work events at home," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 114(2), pages 115-126, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Daniel Hurley & Paul Kwon, 2013. "Savoring Helps Most When You Have Little: Interaction Between Savoring the Moment and Uplifts on Positive Affect and Satisfaction with Life," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 1261-1271, August.
    2. Selda Koydemir & Aslı Bugay Sökmez & Astrid Schütz, 2021. "A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Randomized Controlled Positive Psychological Interventions on Subjective and Psychological Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(3), pages 1145-1185, June.
    3. Yuval Palgi, 2013. "Ongoing Cumulative Chronic Stressors as Predictors of Well-Being in the Second Half of Life," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 1127-1144, August.
    4. Dianne Vella-Brodrick & Nansook Park & Christopher Peterson, 2009. "Three Ways to Be Happy: Pleasure, Engagement, and Meaning—Findings from Australian and US Samples," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 90(2), pages 165-179, January.
    5. Adorée Durayappah, 2011. "The 3P Model: A General Theory of Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(4), pages 681-716, August.
    6. Carmela A White & Bob Uttl & Mark D Holder, 2019. "Meta-analyses of positive psychology interventions: The effects are much smaller than previously reported," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(5), pages 1-48, May.
    7. Kwan, Canice M.C. & Cheng, Shirley Y.Y. & Tsang, Alex S.L., 2023. "Societal reminiscence and decisions for a better society: A belief in progress explanation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    8. Rebecca Y. M. Cheung & Melody C. Y. Ng, 2023. "Disentangling the Effects of Mindfulness, Savoring, and Depressive Symptoms among Emerging Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-10, April.
    9. An K. Raes & Lynn Bruyneel & Tom Loeys & Beatrijs Moerkerke & Rudi De Raedt, 2015. "Mindful Attention and Awareness Mediate the Association Between Age and Negative Affect," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 70(2), pages 179-188.
    10. Melikşah Demir & Andrew Haynes & Shannon K. Potts, 2017. "My Friends Are My Estate: Friendship Experiences Mediate the Relationship Between Perceived Responses to Capitalization Attempts and Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(4), pages 1161-1190, August.
    11. Aneta Przepiorka & Malgorzata Sobol-Kwapinska, 2021. "People with Positive Time Perspective are More Grateful and Happier: Gratitude Mediates the Relationship Between Time Perspective and Life Satisfaction," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 113-126, January.
    12. Sen-Chi Yu & Kennon M. Sheldon & Wen-Ping Lan & Jia-Huei Chen, 2020. "Using Social Network Sites to Boost Savoring: Positive Effects on Positive Emotions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-11, September.
    13. Alfredo Rodríguez-Muñoz & Ana Sanz-Vergel & Evangelia Demerouti & Arnold Bakker, 2014. "Engaged at Work and Happy at Home: A Spillover–Crossover Model," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 271-283, April.
    14. Ryan M. Niemiec, 2020. "Six Functions of Character Strengths for Thriving at Times of Adversity and Opportunity: a Theoretical Perspective," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 15(2), pages 551-572, April.
    15. Shagini Udayar & Leandro Ivan Canzio & Ieva Urbanaviciute & Jonas Masdonati & Jérôme Rossier, 2021. "Significant Life Events and Career Sustainability: A Three-Wave Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-21, November.
    16. Ryan, Gerard & Hernández-Maskivker, Gilda-María & Valverde, Mireia & Pàmies-Pallisé, Maria-del-Mar, 2018. "Challenging conventional wisdom: Positive waiting," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 64-72.
    17. Małgorzata Sobol & Agata Blachnio & Katarzyna Pasternak, 2023. "Time in a Virtual World: Facebook Intrusion, Time Perspective, and Contents of Facebook Narratives," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, July.
    18. Erica D. Chadwick & Paul E. Jose & Fred B. Bryant, 2021. "Styles of Everyday Savoring Differentially Predict Well-being in Adolescents Over One Month," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 803-824, February.
    19. Olga Klamut & Lening A. Olivera-Figueroa & Simon Weissenberger, 2022. "A Balanced Time Perspective and Burnout Syndrome in the Corporate World," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-14, November.
    20. Allyson S. Graf & Meagan A. Ramsey & Julie Hicks Patrick & Amy L. Gentzler, 2016. "Dark Storm Clouds and Rays of Sunshine: Profiles of Negative and Positive Rumination About Daily Hassles and Uplifts," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(6), pages 2257-2276, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:21:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1007_s10902-019-00136-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.