Supporting robust research on adult emotional development by considering context

Abstract

A criterion for high quality science is to produce findings that are robust and replicable across studies. A potential hinderance to successful replication however is context dependency. To formally address issues of context dependency, context has to be defined and integrated into research and replication practices. Emotion research and particularly research on adult emotional development have long emphasized the importance of context. Drawing on established theories of adult development and existing frameworks of context, we define context as it relates to emotional development in adulthood, highlighting specific aspects of immediate surroundings (familiarity, cognitive demands, and social aspects) as well as sociocultural and socioeconomic context, situated within ontogenetic development and historical time. In order to improve the robustness of research on adult emotional development, we encourage researchers to consider these contextual aspects in formulating and testing research questions as well as when interpreting failed replications. We discuss how to adapt study designs to facilitate more context sensitive adult emotional development research. Considering context not only enables new discoveries in aging research, but also can help clarify significant long-standing research questions and further enhance the robustness of research on adult development in emotion.