How Negative Stereotyping Affects Seniors
Author: University of Kent
Published: 2015/01/29 - Updated: 2023/10/03
Publication Type: Informative
Peer-Reviewed: Yes
Topic: Seniors News - Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main
Synopsis: Research on effect of negative stereotypes on older peoples abilities has concluded these stereotypes create significant problem for that demographic.
• The meta-analysis showed that even a hint that performance was being pre-judged because of age criteria was enough to affect older people's performance.
• When elders show larger independence and control in their lives, defying ageist assumptions, they are more likely to be healthier, mentally and physically, than other people their age.
Introduction
Ageist beliefs against the elderly is common place in today's society. For example, when an older person forgets something, he or she could be quick to call it a "senior moment," failing to realize the ageism of that statement. People also often say ageist phrases, such as "second childhood" of which elders miss the ageist undertones. When elders show larger independence and control in their lives, defying ageist assumptions, they are more likely to be healthier, mentally and physically, than other people their age.
Main Item
A research team at the University of Kent's School of Psychology carried out a review and meta-analysis of Aged-Based Stereotype Threat (ABST).
They statistically analyzed international evidence from 37 research studies, both published and unpublished. They concluded that older adults' memory and cognitive performance is negatively affected in situations that signal or remind them of negative age stereotypes. These effects affect both men and women.
The research, funded by the Economic and Social Research council (ESRC), was carried out by Ruth Lamont, working with Dr Hannah Swift and Professor Dominic Abrams. It further found that older people's cognitive performance suffers more when the threat is induced by stereotypes rather than by facts.
The meta-analysis showed that even a hint that performance was being pre-judged because of age criteria was enough to affect older people's performance.
Ruth Lamont said that the study evidence highlighted that even 'subtle differences' in the way people behave toward older people - such as being patronizing or speaking slowly - could be enough to make them under-perform when others are testing their abilities, either formally or informally.
Researchers have previously concluded that stereotype threat affects the major social categories of gender and ethnicity, but this new meta-analysis, which looked at evidence from over a decade of research, highlights the need to be just as concerned about age stereotypes, Ruth Lamont suggested.
The research team further conclude that the vulnerability of some older adults to ABST when they perform memory, cognitive or physical tasks has important social, economic and clinical implications which will become more relevant given an increasingly aging population and workforce.
The paper, titled A Review and Meta-Analysis of Age-Based Stereotype Threat: Negative Stereotypes, Not Facts, Do the Damage, is published in the American Psychological Association's journal Psychology and aging.
Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by University of Kent and published on 2015/01/29, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, University of Kent can be contacted at kent.ac.uk NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.