In his poetic 17th century way, William Shakespeare knew that “parting [was] such sweet sorrow.” Now, the 21st century brings us research to back up what the heart knew all along. When there’s an ending impending, emotions be rending. I have my own poetic way, too.
Do Emotions Intensify With Age, Deadlines?
Post-doctoral researcher, Ursina Teuscher of the cognitive science department of the University of California, San Diego, presented the results of a study that showed emotions run high when people are in a “limited future” situation.
A “limited future” can be impending death, separation, deadlines, or anything perceived to be an ending. The study suggested that emotions, positive and negative, were heightened in scenarios such as the last day of vacation or going to a retirement party for a close colleague.
Presented at the American Psychological Society, the findings of the study are thought to have broad implications. Namely, it indicates that when there’s a time limit involved, emotions are intensified, which could be very telling when trying to understand how the elderly, for example, cope with aging.
The study examined “how people cope with endings and transitions, not only death but also separations, migration, job changes or retirement – in short, any critical life event requiring people to deal with the foreseeable end of a situation,” according to Teuscher.
One interesting facet of the study was a scenario in which subjects were given a hypothetical time limit and then told to select a movie or book. Subjects tended to select familiar materials instead of new ones.
Teuscher said that people seem focus on endings, giving them more importance than other things, causing a deeper investment into experiences they know are going to end. Further, the findings suggest that emotions become more intense as people get older.
The study was conducted with 165 volunteers with an average age 21.
