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Are older adults perceived as morally better than middle-aged persons? Focus on the stereotype content model

  • 0The University of Tokyo, Japan; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan.
Acta Psychologica +

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November 10, 2024

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November 10, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Older adults are not inherently perceived as more moral than middle-aged individuals. Perceptions of warmth and competence significantly influence judgments of morality across all age groups.

Area Of Science

  • Social Psychology
  • Gerontology
  • Moral Psychology

Background

  • Intergenerational cooperation and societal inclusivity depend on accurate morality perceptions of older adults.
  • Existing stereotypes may influence how older individuals' moral character is evaluated.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To investigate the moral perceptions of older adults compared to middle-aged individuals.
  • To examine the influence of perceived warmth and competence on moral judgments across age groups.

Main Methods

  • Two online experiments were conducted with Japanese participants.
  • Study 1 involved free descriptions of older and middle-aged targets.
  • Study 2 used vignettes manipulating target age, warmth, and competence.

Main Results

  • Contrary to Hypothesis 1, middle-aged individuals were perceived as more moral than older individuals in Study 1.
  • Hypothesis 1 was not supported in Study 2; target age did not affect moral perceptions.
  • Warmer and more competent targets were consistently perceived as more moral, supporting Hypotheses 2 and 3 across both studies.

Conclusions

  • Moral perceptions of older adults are not inherently higher than those of middle-aged individuals.
  • Enhancing perceptions of warmth and competence is crucial for improving older adults' moral standing.
  • Positive intergenerational perceptions are vital for societal inclusion and support systems for the elderly.

Keywords:

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