Age-related differences in evaluating developmental stability

Two studies examined the hypothesis that the evaluation of developmental stability changes across adulthood. Results of Study 1 (N ¼ 119) supported the expectation that older adults (Mage ¼ 65.29 years)—compared to younger (Mage ¼ 23.38 years) and middle-aged adults (Mage ¼ 38.68 years)—evaluate developmental stability more positively and losses less negatively across all life domains included in this study (subjective well-being, social relationships, cognition, physical functioning). Replicating and extending these findings, Study 2 (N ¼ 182, age-range: 18–86 years) demonstrated that these age-related differences exist only for stability on an explicit and implicit level of evaluation. Moreover, Study 2 shows that the positive evaluation of stability increases after resource investments into maintaining stability were made salient. We discuss the results in relation to motivational orientation and psychological adjustment to developmental change.