"Life stage-specific" variations in performance in response to age stereotypes

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Age-based stigma can negatively impact older adults' self-perception and performance.
• Understanding how younger adults respond to age-relevant stereotypes is crucial for a comprehensive view of stereotype threat and challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine life stage-specific responses to age-based stigma on cognitive performance.
• To investigate the moderating role of perceived personal control in age-stereotype effects.
• To explore the unique impact of age-relevant stereotypes on both younger and older adults.

Main Methods:

• Participants (older: 62-92 years; younger: 17-22 years) completed a cognitive task (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III block design) under conditions framed as either a "youth advantage" or "age advantage."
• Perceived personal control was measured to assess its influence on responses to age-based stigma.
• Performance differences between age groups and stereotype conditions were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Older adults exhibited decreased performance when exposed to negative age stereotypes, exacerbated by a sense of external control.
• Younger adults demonstrated enhanced performance when facing negative age stereotypes (stereotype challenge), but only if they perceived powerful others controlling their outcomes.
• Contrasting responses suggest differences in group membership permanence and the unique nature of age-based stigma.

Conclusions:

• Age-based stereotypes elicit opposing effects on cognitive performance in younger and older adults.
• Perceived control significantly moderates the impact of age stereotypes on task performance across age groups.
• This study highlights the novelty of age-relevant stereotype effects on younger adults and the complex interplay of stigma, age, and perceived control.