Weakened Links Between Mind and Body in Older Age: The Case for Maturational Dualism in the Experience of Emotion

Wendy Berry Mendes

doi:10.1177/1754073910364149

Abstract

As neuroscience methods begin to dominate emotion research it is critical for researchers to remember that peripheral embodiments are critical to understanding emotional experience and emotion—behavior links. Much of modern emotion research assumes reliable mind—body connections that suggest that changes in emotional states influence bodily responses and, vice versa, that somatovisceral information shapes emotional experiences. However, there may be important qualifications to the link between the mind and the (peripheral) body. For example, the ability to sense internal and external bodily states declines in older age as does activation of physiological systems, all of which may contribute to an impairment in emotional experiences and how emotions influence behavior. I describe this phenomenon as maturational dualism and suggest implications of this for emotion in older adults.

Highlights

Much of modern emotion research assumes reliable mind-body connections— changes in emotional states influence bodily responses and, vice versa, somatovisceral information shapes emotional experiences
Because bodily responses are often directly implicated in the experience of emotions, in this essay I explore some consequences of bodily changes brought on by aging in the experience of emotion
I describe the idea of maturational dualism, a phenomenon that suggests that the bodily changes that often cooccur with the aging process can influence the experience of emotion in specific ways

Summary

Introduction

Much of modern emotion research assumes reliable mind-body connections— changes in emotional states influence bodily responses and, vice versa, somatovisceral information shapes emotional experiences. I describe the idea of maturational dualism, a phenomenon that suggests that the bodily changes that often cooccur with the aging process can influence the experience of emotion in specific ways.

Results

Conclusion