Objectives: Socioemotional selectivity theory postulates that, as people age, they prioritize emotionally meaningful goals. This study investigated whether these age differences in goals are reflected in how younger (aged 18-36, n = 111) and older adults (aged 62-86, n = 104) evaluated, remembered information from and were persuaded by health messages.
Method: Participants were randomly assigned to read health pamphlets with identical factual information but emphasizing emotional or non-emotional goals.
Results: Findings showed that health messages that emphasized emotional goals, but not those that emphasized future-oriented or neutral goals, were better remembered, were evaluated more positively and led to greater behavioral changes among older adults, but not younger adults.
Conclusion: These findings suggest that health messages targeting older adults may be more effective if they are framed in ways that emphasize love and caring.