Age Stereotypes

Question 1

What are age stereotypes?

Answer 1

Cognitive schemas or organized knowledge structures that reflect beliefs about the shared characteristics of individuals of distinct age groups.

Question 2

What is the difference between implicit and explicit stereotypes?

Answer 2

Implicit stereotypes: Unconscious and automatically activated.
Explicit stereotypes: Conscious and self-declared.

Question 3

What are the common subtypes of age stereotypes for older adults?

Answer 3

Negative stereotypes: Sick, slow, mentally weak.
Positive stereotypes: Wise, warm, knowledgeable.

Question 4

What is the multiple stereotype perspective?

Answer 4

refers to the idea that older adults are not seen as a single, homogeneous group but rather as a group that encompasses multiple stereotype subtypes.

• a variety of beliefs—both positive and negative—about older individuals, -
• depending on factors such as their health, activity levels, personality traits, and social roles.

Question 5

What is the stereotype content model in relation to older adults?

Answer 5

It indicates that stereotyped beliefs about older adults are ambivalent, as they are stereotyped as being HIGH IN WARMTH but LOW IN COMPETENCE, which often leads to feelings of PITY.

Question 6

What is ageism?

Answer 6

Negative attitudes, discriminatory behavior, and institutional policies against older adults, old age, and the aging process

Statistics: 52% of Canadians believe ageism is the most tolerated form of social bias, and 60% of Canadians over 65 report being treated unfairly due to their age. The most common forms of discrimination are being treated as incompetent, invisible, and without value (females experience this more than males).

Question 7

What are some consequences of ageism?

Answer 7

Ageism can lead to the marginalization of older adults, with many reporting feelings of being invisible, treated as incompetent, or considered without value.

Question 8

What is elder abuse?

Answer 8

A single or repeated act, or lack of action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, causing harm or distress to an older person. It can be financial, neglect, physical, psychological, or sexual.

Prevalence: Between 4-10% of older adults in Canada experience elder abuse, but only 1 in 24 cases is reported. Worldwide, the prevalence varies (e.g., 47% in Iran, 61-76% in Peru, and 31% in Sweden).

Question 9

What are the consequences of elder abuse for victims?

Answer 9

Victims experience increased MORBIDITY (e.g., depression, anxiety, dementia) and MORTALITY (e.g., cardiovascular-related death, shorter telomere length).

Global Prevalence: The prevalence of elder abuse is as high as 76% in some countries (e.g., Peru), but only a small fraction of cases (1 in 24) is reported to authorities.

Question 10

What is the prevalence of elder abuse in Canada?

Answer 10

Between 4-10% of older adults experience elder abuse, but these numbers are likely underreported, with only 1 in 24 cases being brought to authorities.

Question 11

What are the most common forms of elder abuse worldwide?

Answer 11

Financial abuse, neglect, and psychological abuse are common, with global prevalence rates varying significantly, such as 47% in Iran and 61-76% in Peru.

Question 12

What is stereotype threat?

Answer 12

Stereotype threat refers to the tendency for members of a stereotyped group to “underperform” when a negative stereotype about their group is activated. The resulting anxiety hinders performance and reinforces the stereotype.

• Example: In a study by Hess et al. (2003), older adults who were exposed to negative stereotypes about memory performed worse on memory recall tests than those not exposed to the stereotype.

Question 13

How does stereotype threat influence older adults?

Answer 13

• Reduced cognitive performance including
• memory performance (fear that they might conform)
• self-reported health (increased stress)
• loneliness
• help-seeking behavior
• Long-term consequences: can lead to disengagement from activities that are seen as threatening to one’s self-esteem. such as physical and mental activities, which can negatively impact holistic health and increase dependency.

Question 14

What are self-stereotyping and its effects?

Answer 14

Self-stereotyping is when members of a stereotyped group adopt and assimilate to the stereotype of their group. This can negatively affect older adults’ gait, health outcomes, memory, and end-of-life preferences.

• Theory: According to “Stereotype Embodiment Theory” (Levy, 2009), this process occurs both consciously (explicitly) and unconsciously (implicitly).
• Study: In the Ohio Longitudinal Study of Aging and Retirement (Levy et al., 2002), participants with more negative self-perceptions of aging had worse health and longevity outcomes over 20 years compared to those with positive self-perceptions.
• Effects: It negatively affects older adults’ gait, health outcomes, memory, and preferences for end-of-life interventions.

Question 15

How does perceived control mediate the relationship between self-perceptions of aging and functional health?

Answer 15

Perceived control, the belief that one has effective choices, partially mediates the relationship between self-perceptions of aging and functional health. Those with higher perceived control maintain better health over time.

• Key finding: Higher perceived control was found to improve functional health outcomes over time in the Ohio Longitudinal Study (Levy et al., 2002).

Question 16

self-perceptions of aging on longevity
median survival rate

Answer 16

Older adults with more positive self-perceptions of aging tend to live longer, with a median survival rate that is 7.6 years longer than those with negative self-perceptions

• Study: In the Ohio Longitudinal Study (Levy et al., 2002), positive self-perceptions of aging were strongly linked to longer life spans.

Question 17

What role does will-to-live play in the relationship between self-perceptions of aging and longevity?

Answer 17

Will-to-live, or the perceived benefits of life outweighing the hardships, partially mediates the relationship between positive self-perceptions of aging and longevity, contributing to longer life spans for those with a higher will-to-live.

Question 18

How does the stereotype content model relate to elder abuse?

Answer 18

According to the stereotype content model, older adults are often viewed as high in warmth but low in competence, which generates pity. This perception can lead to both passive neglect (passive harm) and active harm, contributing to the occurrence of elder abuse.

• Harm types: This perception can lead to passive harm (e.g., neglect) and active harm, contributing to elder abuse (Shepherd & Brochu, 2020).

Question 19

What situational characteristics can reduce stereotype threat in older adults?

Answer 19

• de-emphasizing negative age stereotypes,
• promoting intergenerational contact,
• removing time constraints in tasks where older adults are being evaluated (they may feel pressured, increasing the likelihood of confirming negative stereotypes about their abilities)
• Personal characteristics: Older adults with reduced personal importance of domains and those with higher perceived control and autonomy are less likely to experience stereotype threat.