Generativity and Positive Emotion in Older Adults: Mediation of Achievement and Altruism Goal Attainment Across Three Cultures

Alma Au (), Simon Lai, Wen Wu, Jan Hofer, Holger Busch, Iva Poláčková Šolcová, Peter Tavel and Sheung-Tak Cheng
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Alma Au: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Simon Lai: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Wen Wu: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Jan Hofer: University of Trier
Holger Busch: University of Trier
Iva Poláčková Šolcová: The Academy of Czech Republic Sciences of the Czech Republic
Peter Tavel: Palacky University
Sheung-Tak Cheng: The Education University of Hong Kong

Journal of Happiness Studies, 2020, vol. 21, issue 2, No 14, 677-692

Abstract: Abstract Generativity, the concern for guiding the next generation, is associated with both agentic (self-orientated) and communal (others-orientated) motives. However, the role of agency-communion goal attainment has not been studied with reference to positive emotion across cultures. The present study examined the mediation effects of achievement and altruism goal attainment between generative concern and positive emotion across three diverse cultures. We used achievement goal attainment to measure agentic goal fulfillment and altruism goal attainment to measure communal goal fulfillment. We tested the mediation effects of achievement and altruism goal attainment were tested with a total of six hundred and twenty-three older adults from the Czech Republic, Germany and Hong Kong. Multi-group structural equation modeling was conducted to test whether the hypothesized model was equivalent across the three cultures. Findings suggested that achievement goal attainment mediated between generative concern and positive emotion for all three countries. However, altruism goal attainment mediated the association between generative concern and positive emotion only in Hong Kong but not in the other two countries. While achievement goal attainment may play a significant role in the association between generativity concern and positive emotion across three cultures, the present study also highlights possible cultural variation on the mediation of altruism goal attainment. Findings underscored the need for further developing a model of generativity and well-being that takes into account goal attainment in diverse cultural contexts.

Keywords: Agentic; Communal; Successful aging; Well-being; Achievement; Altruism; Goal attainment; Positive emotion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10902-019-00101-1

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