Empathy and Close Social Ties in Late Life

The Interplay of Personality Traits and Social Network Characteristics in the Subjective Well-Being of Older Adults

Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, we regressed three well-being measures (CASP, life satisfaction and Euro-D depressive symptoms) on indicators of personality and social network. Personality was indicated by the Big-Five personality traits, while social network was measured in terms of size, contact frequency and emotional closeness. The analysis also considered personality-network interactions, controlling for confounders. The sample was comprised of 35,145 adults, aged 50 and older, from 24 European countries and Israel. The results revealed that the personality traits explained more variance in the well-being outcomes than the social network characteristics did. However, the interactions showed that the social network characteristics, particularly size and mean emotional closeness, offset the effects of dysfunctional personality attributes on subjective well-being in late life. Hence, social network characteristics were shown to modify the potentially ill effects of personality on key well-being indicators.

Does personality shape the personal social networks of older Europeans?

The aim of the study was to clarify whether personality traits predict the structure, function and quality of egocentric confidant networks in later life. Data were drawn from Waves 7 and 8 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) (N = 39,172). We regressed network size, contact frequency and network satisfaction on the Big-5 personality traits, using a single path analysis structure, controlling for country, sociodemographic background and health status. The findings showed that the personality traits were related to the social network outcomes, but their effect was modest and less predictive than the contextual factors. The country predictors explained the most variance, generally, with some surprising results. For example, confidant networks were the largest in Scandinavia and Central Europe, and smallest in the Mediterranean region and Eastern Europe. Among the personality traits, extraversion was the most consistent positive predictor, but conscientiousness was also predictive. Neuroticism was a negative predictor, but not of network size. The sociodemographic variables, particularly partner status, explained more variance than the personality traits did. In sum, the SHARE database offers a comprehensive and differentiated view of the complex interpersonal milieus in which older Europeans are embedded.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10433-021-00678-8.

Social cognitive abilities predict unique aspects of older adults' personal social networks

OBJECTIVE

The current study explores whether personal social network characteristics are associated with older adults' memory and/or social cognitive function (e.g., ability to infer other's mental states - theory of mind).

METHODS

120 older adults completed a social network interview, a memory measure, and two core measures of social cognitive functions: emotion recognition and theory of mind.

RESULTS

Variation in memory and social cognitive abilities predicted distinct aspects of older adults' social networks. Having better memory predicted having larger, less dense social networks, but better theory of mind was associated with having at least one acquaintance in the network, and having more heterogeneous social relationships within the network.

DISCUSSION

Together our findings suggest that disparate social cognitive abilities may serve unique functions, facilitating maintenance of beneficial social connections.

Empathy and Coping: Older Adults' Interpersonal Tensions and Mood throughout the Day

INTRODUCTION

Scholars have proposed that empathy is a key feature of strong social ties, but less is known about the role empathy plays when tensions arise.

OBJECTIVE

We examined whether older adults' empathy was associated with (a) coping strategies for interpersonal tensions, and (b) mood when there were tensions throughout the day. We also explored whether coping strategies explained the potential buffering effect of empathy on older adults' momentary mood.

METHODS

Older adults (N = 302) from the Daily Experiences and Well-Being Study completed a baseline survey on empathy and coping strategies. They also completed ecological momentary assessments every 3 hours each day for 5-6 days, which included questions about interpersonal tensions and mood. This study considered tensions with close partners (e.g., family and friends) and with non-close partners (e.g., acquaintances and service providers).

RESULTS

In the face of interpersonal tensions, more empathic older adults reported using more constructive and less destructive coping strategies than less empathic older adults, regardless of their closeness to social partners. Being more empathic also buffered older adults' mood when tensions occurred with close partners, but this buffering effect was not mediated by older adults' general preference for coping strategies.

CONCLUSION

This study advances our understanding of empathy and interpersonal tensions in later life, with a focus on daily experiences.