Why are Wise People Happier? An Explanatory Model of Wisdom and Emotional Well-Being in Older Adults

This research investigated the relation between wisdom and emotional well-being in older adults, with an aim to elucidate
pathways of positive development in adulthood. Three-hundred and sixty recently retired individuals completed a series of
questionnaires including measures of wisdom, dispositional coping, perceived control, life engagement, and positive and negative
affect. Structural equation modeling controlling for social desirability, health, and sociodemographic variables revealed
that problem-focused coping, positive reappraisal coping, perceived control and life engagement mediate the positive relation
between wisdom and positive affect. In addition, perceived control and life engagement, but not dispositional coping, were
found to mediate the negative relation between wisdom and negative affect. The results demonstrate that higher levels of perceived
control and life engagement in conjunction with an increased use of problem-focused and positive reappraisal coping account
for the enhanced emotional well-being associated with wisdom. Findings are discussed in terms of the characteristics of wise
individuals that promote positive aging.