Abstract
Greater perceived and actual generative, or contributory, engagement predicts more favorable psychosocial and physical well-being with advancing age. Although theoretical formulations of prosocial behavior suggest self-enhancement, social connectedness, and positive emotion pathways might underlie such links, empirical examination of these connections remains limited. These associations were examined using data from the National Study of Daily Experiences (n = 1747) in the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States. Multilevel regression models examined person-level and day-level indicators of three forms of generative activity (volunteering, emotional support, informal help) as predictors of daily self-enhancement, social connectedness, and positive affect states over an 8-day period, controlling for sociodemographic factors. At the daily level, both volunteering and giving informal help were found to be associated with greater feelings of self-enhancement and social connectedness. Though the between-person effects of informal help were not significant, individuals who volunteered more, on average, also experienced greater average feelings of positive affect and social connectedness than those who volunteered less or not at all. In contrast, giving emotional support to others was associated with slightly lower levels of these cognitive–affective correlates on a given day, and on average. Observed daily cognitive–affective correlates of different generative activities suggest potential pathways through which such activities may be linked to well-being over time.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adelman, R. D., Tmanova, L. L., Delgado, D., Dion, S., & Lachs, M. S. (2014). Caregiver burden: A clinical review. Jama,311(10), 1052–1060. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2014.304.
Beddington, J., Cooper, C. L., Field, J., Goswami, U., Huppert, F. A., Jenkins, R., et al. (2008). The mental wealth of nations. Nature,455(7216), 1057–1060.
Brown, K. M., Hoye, R., & Nicholson, M. (2012). Self-esteem, self-efficacy, and social connectedness as mediators of the relationship between volunteering and well-being. Journal of Social Service Research,38(4), 468–483. https://doi.org/10.1080/01488376.2012.687706.
Brown, S. L., Nesse, R. M., Vinokur, A. D., & Smith, D. M. (2003). Providing social support may be more beneficial than receiving it results from a prospective study of mortality. Psychological Science,14(4), 320–327. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9280.14461.
Carlson, M. C., Erickson, K. I., Kramer, A. F., Voss, M. W., Bolea, N., Mielke, M., et al. (2009). Evidence for neurocognitive plasticity in at-risk older adults: The experience corps program. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences,64(12), 1275–1282. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glp117.
Carlson, M. C., Kuo, J. H., Chuang, Y. F., Varma, V. R., Harris, G., Albert, M. S., et al. (2015). Impact of the Baltimore Experience Corps Trial on cortical and hippocampal volumes. Alzheimer’s & Dementia,11(11), 1340–1348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2014.12.005.
Depp, C. A., & Jeste, D. V. (2006). Definitions and predictors of successful aging: A comprehensive review of larger quantitative studies. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry,14(1), 6–20. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.JGP.0000192501.03069.bc.
Dulin, P. L., Gavala, J., Stephens, C., Kostick, M., & McDonald, J. (2012). Volunteering predicts happiness among older Māori and non-Māori in the New Zealand health, work, and retirement longitudinal study. Aging & Mental Health,16(5), 617–624. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2011.641518.
Ellison, C. G. (1991). Religious involvement and subjective well-being. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 32(1), 80–99. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org.libproxy2.usc.edu/stable/2136801.
Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,84(2), 377. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.2.377.
Erikson, E. H. (1950). Childhood and society. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Erikson, E. H. (1963). Childhood and society (2nd ed.). New York: W.W. Norton & Company Inc.
Fried, L. P., Carlson, M. C., Freedman, M. M., Frick, K. D., Glass, T. A., Hill, M. J., et al. (2004). A social model for health promotion for an aging population: Initial evidence on the Experience Corps model. Journal of Urban Health,81(1), 64–78. https://doi.org/10.1093/jurban/jth094.
Grand, A., Grosclaude, P., Bocquet, H., Pous, J., & Albarede, J. L. (1988). Predictive value of life events, psychosocial factors and self-rated health on disability in an elderly rural French population. Social Science and Medicine,27(12), 1337–1342. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(88)90198-0.
Green, S. E. (2007). “We’re tired, not sad”: Benefits and burdens of mothering a child with a disability. Social Science and Medicine,64(1), 150–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2006.08.025.
Greenfield, E. A., & Marks, N. F. (2004). Formal volunteering as a protective factor for older adults’ psychological well-being. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences,59(5), S258–S264. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/59.5.S258.
Gruenewald, T. L., Karlamangla, A. S., Greendale, G. A., Singer, B. H., & Seeman, T. E. (2007). Feelings of usefulness to others, disability, and mortality in older adults: The MacArthur study of successful aging. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences,62, P28–P37. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/62.1.P28
Gruenewald, T. L., Karlamangla, A. S., Greendale, G. A., Singer, B. H., & Seeman, T. E. (2009). Increased mortality risk in older adults with persistently low or declining feelings of usefulness to others. Journal of Aging and Health,21(2), 398–425. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264308329023.
Gruenewald, T. L., Liao, D. H., & Seeman, T. E. (2012). Contributing to others, contributing to oneself: Perceptions of generativity and health in later life. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences,67(6), 660–665. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbs034.
Gruenewald, T. L., Tanner, E. K., Fried, L. P., Carlson, M. C., Xue, Q. L., Parisi, J. M., et al. (2016). The Baltimore experience corps trial: Enhancing generativity via intergenerational activity engagement in later life. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences,71(4), 661–670. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbv005.
Hektner, J. M., Schmidt, J. A., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2007). Experience sampling method: Measuring the quality of everyday life. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Hoffman, L. (2015). Longitudinal analysis: Modeling within-person fluctuation and change. Routledge: Taylor & Francis.
Hoffman, L., & Stawski, R. S. (2009). Persons as contexts: Evaluating between-person and within-person effects in longitudinal analysis. Research in Human Development,6(2–3), 97–120. https://doi.org/10.1080/15427600902911189.
Hong, S. I., & Morrow-Howell, N. (2010). Health outcomes of Experience Corps®: A high-commitment volunteer program. Social Science and Medicine,71(2), 414–420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.04.009.
Huta, V., & Zuroff, D. C. (2007). Examining mediators of the link between generativity and well-being. Journal of Adult Development,14(1–2), 47–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10804-007-9030-7.
Kahana, E., Bhatta, T., Lovegreen, L. D., Kahana, B., & Midlarsky, E. (2013). Altruism, helping, and volunteering pathways to well-being in late life. Journal of Aging and Health,25(1), 159–187. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264312469665.
King, L. A. (2001). The health benefits of writing about life goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin,27(7), 798–807. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167201277003.
Kirkwood, T., Bond, J., May, C., Mckeith, I., & Teh, M. (2010). Mental capital and wellbeing through life: Future challenges. In C. Cooper, J. Field, U. Goswami, R. Jenkins, & B. Sahakian (Eds.), Mental capital and wellbeing (pp. 3–54). Oxford: Wiley.
Kirkwood, T. B., Bond, J., May, C., McKeith, I., & Teh, M. M. (2014). Foresight mental capital and wellbeing project. Wellbeing. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118539415.wbwell092.
Klimecki, O. M., Leiberg, S., Ricard, M., & Singer, T. (2013). Differential pattern of functional brain plasticity after compassion and empathy training. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience,9(6), 873–879. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nst060.
Liang, J., Krause, N. M., & Bennett, J. M. (2001). Social exchange and well-being: Is giving better than receiving? Psychology and Aging,16(3), 511. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.16.3.511.
Lum, T. Y., & Lightfoot, E. (2005). The effects of volunteering on the physical and mental health of older people. Research on Aging,27(1), 31–55. https://doi.org/10.1177/0164027504271349.
Lyubomirsky, S., Dickerhoof, R., Boehm, J. K., & Sheldon, K. M. (2011). Becoming happier takes both a will and a proper way: An experimental longitudinal intervention to boost well-being. Emotion,11(2), 391. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022575.
McAdams, D. P., & de St Aubin, E. D. (1992). A theory of generativity and its assessment through self-report, behavioral acts, and narrative themes in autobiography. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,62(6), 1003–1015. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.62.6.1003.
McAdams, D. P., de St Aubin, E. D., & Logan, R. L. (1993). Generativity among young, midlife, and older adults. Psychology and Aging,8(2), 221–230. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.8.2.221.
Moen, P., Dempster-McClain, D., & Williams, R. M., Jr. (1992). Successful aging: A life-course perspective on women’s multiple roles and health. American Journal of Sociology,97(6), 1612–1638. https://doi.org/10.1086/229941.
Morrow-Howell, N., Hinterlong, J., Rozario, P. A., & Tang, F. (2003). Effects of volunteering on the well-being of older adults. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences,58(3), S137–S145. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/58.3.S137.
Musick, M. A., & Wilson, J. (2003). Volunteering and depression: The role of psychological and social resources in different age groups. Social science and medicine, 56(2), 259–269. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0277-9536(02)00025-4.
O’Neill, G., Morrow-Howell, N., & Wilson, S. F. (2011). Volunteering in later life: From disengagement to civic engagement. In R. A. Settersten, Jr., & J. L. Angel (Eds.), Handbook of sociology of aging (pp. 333–350). New York: Springer.
Okamoto, K., & Tanaka, Y. (2004). Subjective usefulness and 6-year mortality risks among elderly persons in Japan. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences,59B(5), P246–P249. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/59.5.P246.
Pitkala, K. H., Laakkonen, M. L., Strandberg, T. E., & Tilvis, R. S. (2004). Positive life orientation as a predictor of 10-year outcome in an aged population. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology,57(4), 409–414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2003.07.013.
Post, S. G. (2005). Altruism, happiness, and health: It’s good to be good. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine,12(2), 66–77. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327558ijbm1202_4.
Reis, H. T., Sheldon, K. M., Gable, S. L., Roscoe, J., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). Daily well-being: The role of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin,26(4), 419–435. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167200266002.
Rowe, J. W., & Kahn, R. L. (1998). Successful aging: The MacArthur foundation study. New York: Pantheon.
Schwartz, C. E., Keyl, P. M., Marcum, J. P., & Bode, R. (2009). Helping others shows differential benefits on health and well-being for male and female teens. Journal of Happiness Studies,10(4), 431–448. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-008-9098-1.
Sin, N. L., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2009). Enhancing well-being and alleviating depressive symptoms with positive psychology interventions: A practice-friendly meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology,65(5), 467–487. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20593.
Singer, T., & Klimecki, O. M. (2014). Empathy and compassion. Current Biology,24(18), R875–R878. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2014.06.054.
Villar, F. (2012). Successful ageing and development: The contribution of generativity in older age. Ageing & Society,32(07), 1087–1105. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X11000973.
Weinstein, N., & Ryan, R. M. (2010). When helping helps: Autonomous motivation for prosocial behavior and its influence on well-being for the helper and recipient. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,98(2), 222–244. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016984.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Institutes on Aging Multidisciplinary Training Grant (T32 AG000037) and the USC Provost’s Graduate Student Fellowship. We would also like to thank the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development, which funded the MIDUS Study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Grossman, M.R., Wang, D. & Gruenewald, T.L. Variations in Daily Cognitive Affective States as a Function of Variations in Daily Generative Activity. J Happiness Stud 20, 19–34 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-017-9935-1
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-017-9935-1