Age Differences in Interpersonal Emotion Regulation

This paper investigates the influence of age on interpersonal emotion regulation (IER) among information technology employees. A sample of 384 employees was categorized into four age groups: less than 28 years, 29-35 years, 36-42 years and above 42 years. The hypothesis tested was the age significantly influences employees’ interpersonal emotion regulation strategies and effectiveness, particularly in the context of workplace interactions. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed and results revealed significant differences in the three dimensions of IER: Positive Effect, Perspective Taking, and Soothing. Employees above 42 years showed significantly higher scores in Positive Effect, and Perspective Taking indicating a more adept ability to connect with others and empathize effectively. Those aged 36-42 years scored highest in soothing, suggesting a propensity for calming and supportive interactions. However, no significant age-related differences were observed in the social modelling. These findings underscore that older employees tend to exhibit more effective interpersonal emotion regulation strategies, due to increased emotional complexity and life experience. The result aligns with previous research indicating a developmental trajectory in emotional regulation capabilities.Keywords: Interpersonal emotion regulation, emotion regulation, age differences, workplace, employees, emotional intelligence.