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De-Biasing the Age-Happiness Bias: Memory Search and Cultural Expectations in Happiness Judgments Across the Lifespan

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  • Heather Lacey

  • Todd Kierstead
  • Diana Morey

Abstract

While most research shows increasing happiness across the adult life-span, there is a common and persistent misconception that happiness decreases with age. In two experiments, we found evidence to suggest that this age-happiness bias results in part from a biased search for exemplars in memory. When provided with specific exemplars, aged 30 or 70, showing clear evidence of an active and sociable lifestyle, happiness estimates were unaffected by age. However, we also found evidence that the bias may influence judgments by invoking different standards for young and old. Among participants in the United States in Experiment 1, a negative lifestyle description resulted in negative happiness ratings for a 30 year-old and neutral ratings for a 70 year-old, suggesting that the lifestyle was considered normative for the older adults. Among Irish participants in Experiment 2, we found no such distinction, arguably because of cultural differences in social expectations across the generations. These studies help to reveal the judgment mechanisms behind the age-happiness bias, and identify the boundaries of this persistent bias. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

Suggested Citation

  • Heather Lacey & Todd Kierstead & Diana Morey, 2012. "De-Biasing the Age-Happiness Bias: Memory Search and Cultural Expectations in Happiness Judgments Across the Lifespan," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 13(4), pages 647-658, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:13:y:2012:i:4:p:647-658
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-011-9284-4
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    1. Blanchflower, David G. & Oswald, Andrew J., 2008. "Is well-being U-shaped over the life cycle?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(8), pages 1733-1749, April.
    2. Michael Fordyce, 1988. "A review of research on the happiness measures: A sixty second index of happiness and mental health," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 355-381, August.
    3. Arthur A. Stone & Joseph E. Schwartz & Joan E. Broderick & Angus Deaton, 2010. "A snapshot of the age distribution of psychological well-being in the United States," Working Papers 1230, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Health and Wellbeing..
    4. John Garry & Maria Lohan, 2011. "Mispredicting Happiness Across the Adult Lifespan: Implications for the Risky Health Behaviour of Young People," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 41-49, March.
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    1. Ning Li, 2016. "Multidimensionality of Longitudinal Data: Unlocking the Age-Happiness Puzzle," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 128(1), pages 305-320, August.
    2. Ning Li, 2014. "Multidimensionality of Longitudinal Data: Unlocking the Age-Happiness Puzzle," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2014n04, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.

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