Work

Adult age-related differences in susceptibility to social conformity pressures in self-control over daily desires

Year: 2023

Type: preprint

Abstract: Developmental literature suggests that susceptibility to social conformity pressure peaks in adolescence and disappears with maturity into early adulthood. Predictions about these behaviors are less clear for middle-aged and older adults. On the one hand, while prioritization of socioemotional goals among older adults might predict greater susceptibility to social conformity pressures, older adults also show enhanced self-control that could support resistance to conformity pressures. In this exploratory research study, we used mobile experience sampling surveys to naturalistically track how 157 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 80 practice self-control over spontaneous desires in daily life. Many of these desires were experienced in the presence of others enacting that desire. Results showed that middle-aged and older adults were better at controlling their desires than younger adults when desires were experienced in the presence of others enacting that desire. Consistent with the literature on improved emotion regulation with age, these results provide evidence that the ability to resist social conformity pressure is enhanced across the adult life span.

DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/6s8vr

Authors: Jaime J. Castrellon, David Zald, Gregory Russell Samanez-Larkin, Kendra Leigh Seaman

Institutions: University of Pennsylvania, Vanderbilt University, Rutgers Health, Duke University, The University of Texas at Dallas

Language: English

Topic: Behavioral Health and Interventions

Subfield: Applied Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Science Foundation

Award: Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)