Department of Psychology, University of Bonn.
Department of Psychology, University Research Priority Program "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", University of Zurich.
Psychol Aging. 2024 Jun;39(4):364-377. doi: 10.1037/pag0000816. Epub 2024 Apr 18.
It is well-established that more frequent social interaction is associated with higher well-being across the lifespan. The present study examines the role of frequency of interactions via different modalities on older adults' weekly well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic, where people had to adapt their communication behavior and reduce in-person contact due to precautionary measures. We use data from 98 participants (age: = 71, = 5), who documented their weekly frequency of communication via four interaction modalities as well as their loneliness, positive affect, and negative affect over up to 64 weeks. Results show that participants with overall higher frequency of face-to-face, telephone, and text-based interaction than others report higher levels of positive affect and lower levels of negative affect and loneliness than others. Participants report higher levels of well-being during weeks when they report more frequent face-to-face, telephone, and text-based interaction than their individual average. Unexpectedly, participants report higher levels of negative affect during weeks with more video call interaction. Some effects of social interaction frequency on affect and loneliness are higher for face-to-face interactions versus other modalities. In addition, interaction effects at within-person level indicate that the effects of weekly telephone and text-based interaction frequency on loneliness are stronger in weeks with relatively few face-to-face interactions. Taken together, our findings suggest that social interactions via different modalities contribute to well-being, but that face-to-face interactions have the biggest effect. In addition, there is some evidence that telephone and text-based interaction may play a compensatory role. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
已有充分证据表明，社交互动越频繁，人们在一生中的幸福感就越高。本研究考察了在 COVID-19 大流行期间，通过不同方式进行的互动频率对老年人每周幸福感的影响，在大流行期间，人们不得不调整自己的沟通行为，减少面对面接触。我们使用了 98 名参与者的数据（年龄：M = 71，SD = 5），他们记录了自己每周通过四种互动方式进行交流的频率，以及他们在长达 64 周内的孤独感、积极情绪和消极情绪。结果表明，与其他人相比，整体上面对面、电话和基于文本的互动频率较高的参与者报告说，他们的积极情绪水平较高，消极情绪和孤独感水平较低。与个人平均水平相比，参与者在报告面对面、电话和基于文本的互动频率较高的周内报告了更高水平的幸福感。出乎意料的是，参与者在视频通话互动较多的周内报告了更高水平的消极情绪。与其他方式相比，社交互动频率对情绪和孤独感的一些影响在面对面互动中更高。此外，个体内的互动效应表明，在面对面互动相对较少的周内，每周电话和基于文本的互动频率对孤独感的影响更强。总之，我们的研究结果表明，通过不同方式进行的社交互动有助于幸福感，但面对面互动的效果最大。此外，有一些证据表明，电话和基于文本的互动可能起到补偿作用。
