Socioemotional Selectivity Theory: The Role of Perceived Endings in Human Motivation

Socioemotional selectivity theory (SST) is a theory of life-span development grounded in the uniquely human ability to monitor time. SST maintains that the approach of endings-whether due to aging or other endings such as geographic relocations and severe illness-elicits motivational changes in whic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Gerontologist Vol. 61; no. 8; p. 1188
Main Author Carstensen, Laura L
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 15.11.2021
Subjects
Aging
Emotions
Humans
Longevity
Motivation
Time
Social networks
Emotion/affect
Socioemotional selectivity theory
Positivity effect
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Summary:Socioemotional selectivity theory (SST) is a theory of life-span development grounded in the uniquely human ability to monitor time. SST maintains that the approach of endings-whether due to aging or other endings such as geographic relocations and severe illness-elicits motivational changes in which emotionally meaningful goals are prioritized over exploration. Research guided by SST has informed preferences, social networks, and emotional experience and led to the discovery of the positivity effect in cognitive processing. This article, based on my 2015 Robert W. Kleemeier Award Lecture, describes the development of SST and its related program of empirical research.
ISSN:1758-5341
DOI:10.1093/geront/gnab116