Normal aging and decision making: The role of motivation

The main argument of this review is that motivational development associated with normal aging affects decision making. With increasing age, the ratio of gains to losses becomes more and more unfavorable. Reflecting the increasing losses in resources, goal orientation changes from a predominant orientation towards gains in young adulthood to an increasingly stronger orientation towards the prevention of loss in older adulthood. As goals serve as reference points for the evaluation of decision outcomes, this change in goal orientation across adulthood might also affect decision making. The decision-making literature has recognized that choices are influenced by goal orientation. However, little research has been conducted on how goals influence the decision-making process in general and with regard to aging in particular. To date, findings on decision making and aging remain inconsistent and are in need of a developmental framework. With regard to applications, a better understanding of the aging decision maker can provide insight into how to improve communication efforts about issues like advance care planning, medical treatment, and housing options. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000334396 Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich ZORA URL: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-79375 Accepted Version Originally published at: Depping, Miriam K; Freund, Alexandra M (2011). Normal aging and decision making: The role of motivation. Human Development, 54(6):349-367. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000334396 Running Head: NORMAL AGING AND DECISION MAKING Normal Aging and Decision Making: The Role of Motivation Miriam K. Depping & Alexandra M. Freund University of Zurich Author Note The writing of this paper was supported by a dissertation fellowship granted by the Jacobs Foundation to Miriam K. Depping. The authors would like to thank Rich Gonzalez, Lael Schooler, and Hauke Heekeren as well as the Life-Management Group for helpful discussions of the ideas presented in this article. We are grateful to Tamara Herz for carefully editing the manuscript. Miriam K. Depping is a fellow of the International Max Planck Research School on the Life Course (LIFE). Correspondence concerning this paper can be addressed to either author at: University of Zurich, Dept. of Psychology, Applied Psychology: Life-Management, Binzmuehlestrasse 14, P.O. Box 11, CH-8050 Zurich, Email: m.depping@ psychologie.uzh.ch, [email protected] Normal Aging and Decision Making 2 Abstract The main argument of this review is that motivational development associated with normal aging affects decision making. With increasing age, the ratio of gains to losses becomes more and more unfavorable. Reflecting the increasing losses in resources, goal orientation changes from a predominant orientation towards gains in young adulthood to an increasingly stronger orientationThe main argument of this review is that motivational development associated with normal aging affects decision making. With increasing age, the ratio of gains to losses becomes more and more unfavorable. Reflecting the increasing losses in resources, goal orientation changes from a predominant orientation towards gains in young adulthood to an increasingly stronger orientation towards the prevention of loss in older adulthood. As goals serve as reference points for the evaluation of decision outcomes, this change in goal orientation across adulthood might also affect decision making. The decision-making literature has recognized that choices are influenced by goal orientation. The well-known framing effect shows that decisions differ depending on the framing of the outcomes as gains or losses. However, little research has been conducted on how goals influence the decision-making process in general and with regard to aging in particular. To date, findings on decision making and aging remain inconsistent and are in need of a developmental framework. With regard to applications, a better understanding of the aging decision maker can provide insight into how to improve communication efforts about issues like advance care planning, medical treatment, and housing options. (189 words)