A wandering (older) mind is a happy mind: Age moderates the combined effects of mind wandering and executive function on momentary affective state.

Abstract

Growing evidence suggests that healthy aging is reliably associated with a positivity bias, benefiting affective well-being in older age. The socioemotional selectivity theory suggests that the positivity bias is subserved by top-down attentional processes, whereas the dynamic integration theory suggests it is subserved by bottom-up attentional processes. However, little is known about whether the age-related positivity bias manifests to the same extent in individuals with lower levels of executive function, such as those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. It is also unclear whether the positivity bias is observed in naturalistic contexts and specifically how momentary attentional states in daily life, such as on-task attention, or mind wandering (intentionally or unintentionally), may moderate the positivity bias. To address these questions, we recruited 101 adults (aged 19-79) with self-reported attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and probed their momentary attentional and affective states during everyday life, six times daily for 7 days. Using attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptom levels as an index of executive dysfunction, we examined the interaction between age, executive function, and momentary attentional state in predicting momentary affective valence. Results indicate that older adults showed a more positive relationship between executive dysfunction and affective valence during unintentional mind wandering (compared with on-task attention), whereas younger adults exhibited the opposite pattern. Our findings provide preferential support for the dynamic integration theory rather than the socioemotional selectivity theory account of the positivity bias and highlight the moderating effect of age on a complex relationship between executive dysfunction, momentary attentional state, and affective valence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).