Abstract
People rely on their recent emotional experiences when constructing life satisfaction judgments. However, the role of positive and negative affect in life satisfaction across different age groups has rarely been examined in prior research. This study sought to investigate the contribution of positive and negative affect to life satisfaction across five age groups in a large sample of Serbians between 16 and 65 years of age (N = 3287, 59.9% females). Multi-group structural equation modeling was used to establish measurement invariance and to examine the relationships between affect and life satisfaction across the age groups. Full metric invariance was supported for life satisfaction and positive and negative affect across the groups. The results showed that positive affect had strong effects on life satisfaction across the groups, whereas negative affect had weak or nonsignificant effects. The effects of positive and negative affect on life satisfaction were found to be invariant across age groups. Our findings indicate that people rely more on positive emotional experiences than on negative emotional experiences when constructing life satisfaction judgments, and that age does not moderate the effects of affective experiences on life satisfaction.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
Data are available from the authors upon reasonable request.
References
Baird, B. M., Lucas, R. E., & Donnellan, M. B. (2010). Life satisfaction across the lifespan: Findings from two nationally representative panel studies. Social Indicators Research, 99, 183–203. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-010-9584-9.
Batz, C., & Tay, L. (2018). Gender differences in subjective well-being. In E. Diener, S. Oishi, & L. Tay (Eds.), Handbook of well-being. Salt Lake City: DEF Publishers. nobascholar.com.
Batz-Barbarich, C., Tay, L., Kuykendall, L., & Cheung, H. K. (2018). A meta-analysis of gender differences in subjective well-being: Estimating effect sizes and associations with gender inequality. Psychological Science, 29, 1491–1503. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797618774796.
Browne, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In K. A. Bollen & J. S. Long (Eds.), Testing structural equation models (pp. 136–162). Newbury Park: Sage.
Busseri, M. A. (2015). Toward a resolution of the tripartite structure of subjective wellbeing. Journal of Personality, 83, 413–428. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12116.
Busseri, M. A. (2018). Examining the structure of subjective well-being through meta-analysis of the associations among positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction. Personality and Individual Differences, 122, 68–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2017.10.003.
Busseri, M. A., & Sadava, S. W. (2011). A review of the tripartite structure of subjective well-being: Implications for conceptualization, operationalization, and synthesis. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 15, 290–314. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868310391271.
Byrne, B. M. (2008). Testing for multigroup equivalence of a measuring instrument: A walk through the process. Psicothema, 20, 872–882.
Carstensen, L. L., Isaacowitz, D. M., & Charles, S. T. (1999). Taking time seriously: A theory of socioemotional selectivity. American Psychologist, 54, 165–181. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.54.3.165.
Carstensen, L. L., Turan, B., Scheibe, S., Ram, N., Ersner-Hershfield, H., Samanez-Larkin, G. R., Brooks, K. P., & Nesselroade, J. R. (2011). Emotional experience improves with age: Evidence based on over 10 years of experience sampling. Psychology and Aging, 26, 21–33. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021285.
Charles, S. T., & Luong, G. (2013). Emotional experience across adulthood: The theoretical model of strength and vulnerability integration. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 22, 443–448. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721413497013.
Chen, F. F. (2007). Sensitivity of goodness of fit indexes to lack of measurement invariance. Structural Equation Modeling, 14, 464–504. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705510701301834.
Choi, E., & Chentsova-Dutton, Y. E. (2017). The relationship between momentary emotions and well-being across European Americans, Hispanic Americans and Asian Americans. Cognition and Emotion, 31, 1277–1285. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2016.1210571.
Davern, M. T., Cummins, R. A., & Stokes, M. A. (2007). Subjective wellbeing as an affective-cognitive construct. Journal of Happiness Studies, 8, 429–449. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-007-9066-1.
Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71–75. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13.
Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125, 276–302. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.125.2.276.
Diener, E., Wirtz, D., Tov, W., Kim-Prieto, C., Choi, D.-W., Oishi, S., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2010). New well-being measures: Short scales to assess flourishing and positive and negative feelings. Social Indicators Research, 97, 143–156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-009-9493-y.
Durak, M., Senol-Durak, E., & Gencoz, T. (2010). Psychometric properties of the satisfaction with life scale among Turkish university students, correctional officers, and elderly adults. Social Indicators Research, 99, 413–429. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-010-9589-4.
Extremera, N., & Rey, L. (2016). Ability emotional intelligence and life satisfaction: Positive and negative affect as mediators. Personality and Individual Differences, 102, 98–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.06.051.
Gouveia, V. V., Milfont, T. L., da Fonseca, P. N., & Coelho, J. A. P. M. (2009). Life satisfaction in Brazil: Testing the psychometric properties of the satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) in five Brazilian samples. Social Indicators Research, 90, 267–277. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-008-9257-0.
Hofstede, G., Hofstede, G. J., & Minkov, M. (2010). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Hu, L. T., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6, 1–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118.
Jayawickreme, E., Tsukayama, E., & Kashdan, T. B. (2017). Examining the within-person effect of affect on daily satisfaction. Journal of Research in Personality, 71, 27–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2017.08.008.
Joshanloo, M. (2019a). Cultural religiosity as the moderator of the relationship between affective experience and life satisfaction: A study in 147 countries. Emotion, 19, 629–636. https://doi.org/10.1037/emo0000469.
Joshanloo, M. (2019b). Gender differences in the predictors of life satisfaction across 150 nations. Personality and Individual Differences, 135, 312–315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2018.07.043.
Joshanloo, M., & Jovanović, V. (2020a). Similarities and differences in predictors of life satisfaction across age groups: A 150-country study. Journal of Health Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105318819054.
Joshanloo, M., & Jovanović, V. (2020b). The relationship between gender and life satisfaction: Analysis across demographic groups and global regions. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 23, 331–338. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-019-00998-w.
Jovanović, V. (2015). Beyond the PANAS: Incremental validity of the scale of positive and negative experience (SPANE) in relation to well-being. Personality and Individual Differences, 86, 487–491. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.07.015.
Jovanović, V. (2016). The validity of the satisfaction with life scale in adolescents and a comparison with single-item life satisfaction measures: A preliminary study. Quality of Life Research, 25, 3173–3180. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-016-1331-5.
Jovanović, V. (2019). Measurement invariance of the Serbian version of the satisfaction with life scale across age, gender, and time. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 35, 555–563. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000410.
Jovanović, V., & Gavrilov-Jerković, V. (2016). The structure of adolescent affective well-being: The case of the PANAS among Serbian adolescents. Journal of Happiness Studies, 17, 2097–2117. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-015-9687-8.
Jovanović, V., & Joshanloo, M. (2019). The determinants of life satisfaction in Serbia: Findings from the Gallup world poll. International Journal of Wellbeing, 9, 43–60. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v9i1.751.
Jovanović, V., Lazić, M., Gavrilov-Jerković, V., & Molenaar, D. (2020). The scale of positive and negative experience (SPANE): Evaluation of measurement invariance and convergent and discriminant validity. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 36, 694–704. https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000540.
Kline, R. B. (2005). Principles and practices of structural equation modeling (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.
Kong, F., Gong, X., Sajjad, S., Yang, K., & Zhao, J. (2019). How is emotional intelligence linked to life satisfaction? The mediating role of social support, positive affect and negative affect. Journal of Happiness Studies, 20, 2733–2745. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-00069-4.
Kööts-Ausmees, L., Realo, A., & Allik, J. (2013). The relationship between life satisfaction and emotional experience in 21 European countries. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 44, 223–244. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022112451054.
Kuppens, P., Realo, A., & Diener, E. (2008). The role of positive and negative emotions in life satisfaction judgment across nations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 66–75. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.95.1.66.
Lansford, J. E. (2018). A lifespan perspective on subjective well-being. In E. Diener, S. Oishi, & L. Tay (Eds.), Handbook of well-being. Salt Lake City: DEF Publishers. nobascholar.com.
Lazić, M., Gavrilov-Jerković, V., & Jovanović, V. (2019). The moderating role of trait affect in the relationship between negative life events and life satisfaction. Journal of Happiness Studies, 20, 2251–2267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-0050-8.
Lee, I. A., & Preacher, K. J. (2013, September). Calculation for the test of the difference between two dependent correlations with one variable in common [Computer software]. Available from http://quantpsy.org.
Lucas, R. E., & Diener, E. (2015). Personality and subjective well-being: Current issues and controversies. In M. Mikulincer, P. R. Shaver, M. L. Cooper, & R. J. Larsen (Eds.), APA handbooks in psychology®. APA handbook of personality and social psychology, Vol. 4. Personality processes and individual differences (pp. 577–599). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/14343-026.
Massey, B., Edwards, A. V., & Musikanski, L. (2020). Life satisfaction, affect, and belonging in older adults. Applied Research in Quality of Life. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-019-09804-2.
Metler, S., & Busseri, M. A. (2017). Further evaluation of the tripartite structure of subjective well-being: Evidence from longitudinal and experimental studies. Journal of Personality, 85, 192–206. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12233.
Milfont, T. L., & Fischer, R. (2010). Testing measurement invariance across groups: Applications in cross-cultural research. International Journal of Psychological Research, 3, 111–121. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639902500101.
Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (2015). Mplus statistical software version 7.31. Los Angeles: Muthén & Muthén.
Pavot, W., & Diener, E. (2008). The satisfaction with life scale and the emerging construct of life satisfaction. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 3, 137–152. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760701756946.
Putnick, D. L., & Bornstein, M. H. (2016). Measurement invariance conventions and reporting: The state of the art and future directions for psychological research. Developmental Review, 41, 71–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2016.06.004.
Raykov, T. (2012). Scale construction and development using structural equation modeling. In R. H. Hoyle (Ed.), Handbook of structural equation modeling (pp. 472–492). New York: The Guilford Press.
Ready, R. E., Vaidya, J. G., Watson, D., Latzman, R. D., Koffel, E. A., & Clark, L. A. (2011). Age-group differences in facets of positive and negative affect. Aging & Mental Health, 15, 784–795. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2011.562184.
Schimmack, U. (2008). The structure of subjective well-being. In M. Eid & R. J. Larsen (Eds.), The science of subjective well-being (pp. 97–123). New York: Guilford Press.
Schimmack, U., Diener, E., & Oishi, S. (2002). Life-satisfaction is a momentary judgment and a stable personality characteristic: The use of chronically accessible and stable sources. Journal of Personality, 70, 345–384. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6494.05008.
Schwarz, N. (2012). Feelings-as-information theory. In P. A. M. Van Lange, A. W. Kruglanski, & E. T. Higgins (Eds.), Handbook of theories of social psychology (pp. 289–308). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Ltd.. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446249215.n15.
Siedlecki, K. L., Tucker-Drob, E. M., Oishi, S., & Salthouse, T. A. (2008). Life satisfaction across adulthood: Different determinants at different ages? Journal of Positive Psychology, 3, 153–164. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760701834602.
Suh, E., Diener, E., Oishi, S., & Triandis, H. C. (1998). The shifting basis of life satisfaction judgments across cultures: Emotions versus norms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 482–493. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.74.2.482.
van de Schoot, R., Lugtig, P., & Hox, J. (2012). A checklist for testing measurement invariance. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 9, 486–492. https://doi.org/10.1080/17405629.2012.686740.
Veenhoven, R. (2000). The four qualities of life: Ordering concepts and measures of the good life. Journal of Happiness Studies, 1, 1–39. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010072010360.
Wall, M. M., & Li, R. (2003). Comparison of multiple regression to two latent variable techniques for estimation and prediction. Statistics in Medicine, 22, 3671–3685. https://doi.org/10.1002/sim.1588.
Funding
This work was supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Grant No. 179006).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Both authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection were performed by VJ, whereas the analyses were performed by VJ and MJ. The first draft of the manuscript was written by VJ, and MJ commented on previous versions of the manuscript. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the ethics committee at the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Novi Sad, Serbia (Reference Number: 14–144/1). The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Code Availability
N/A.
Informed Consent
Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jovanović, V., Joshanloo, M. The Contribution of Positive and Negative Affect to Life Satisfaction across Age. Applied Research Quality Life 17, 511–524 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-020-09903-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-020-09903-5