Abstract
Older adults find greater well‐being in smaller social networks, according to a new study published in Psychology and Aging. Researchers questioned whether younger adults who cultivate numerous connections with friends, families and acquaintances through online social networks are any happier than older adults who have similar circles of face‐to‐face relationships. The answer may be no, according to the American Psychological Association. Quality social relationships boost well‐being and may be as important to people under age 45 as they are to those over age 60, an APA news release stated. “Stereotypes of aging tend to paint older adults in many cultures as sad and lonely,” said Wändi Bruine de Bruin, Ph.D., of the University of Leeds and lead study author. Bruine de Bruin and her co‐authors analyzed data from two online surveys conducted by the RAND Corporation's American Life Panel, a nationally representative survey of adults. Researchers found older adults had smaller social networks than younger adults, but the number of close friends was unrelated to age. Only the reported number of close friends was associated with social satisfaction and well‐being across the adult life span.
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