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Does negative information about aging influence older adults' physical performance and subjective age?
Manon Marquet1, Mohamed Boutaayamou2, Cédric Schwartz3
1Psychology of Aging Unit, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
|July 15, 2018
Summary
Negative stereotypes impact how older adults feel about their age. Performing physical tasks under threat made participants feel older, especially those with negative self-perceptions of aging.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Gerontology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Negative stereotypes about aging can affect older adults' cognitive and physical functioning.
- Understanding the impact of stereotype threat on subjective age is crucial for interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how negative stereotypes influence older adults' physical performance.
- To examine the effect of stereotype threat on mental and physical subjective age in older adults.
- To explore self-perceptions of aging as a moderator.
Main Methods:
- Sixty-four older adults (65+) performed physical tasks under low or high stereotype threat.
- A 3D optoelectronic system measured physical performance.
- Self-perceptions of aging were assessed as a moderator.
Main Results:
- Stereotype threat did not significantly affect physical performance across most tasks.
- High threat condition increased mental subjective age post-task.
- Physical subjective age was influenced by threat and moderated by self-perceptions of aging.
Conclusions:
- Stereotype threat may negatively impact older adults' subjective experience of aging.
- Individuals with negative self-perceptions felt significantly older under high threat.
- Positive self-perceptions of aging buffered against the effects of stereotype threat.