The effect of attribute framing and polarization levels on evaluations among older and younger adults

Cognitive changes associated with aging bear both advantages and disadvantages for information processing that affect evaluations among older adults. Previous research showed that individuals evaluate objects more favorably when the object is framed positively (e.g. 85% success) rather than negatively (e.g. 15% failure). Evaluations are also sensitive to polarization levels of quantitative information (e.g. 90%/10% vs. 70%/30% success/failure). This paper examines how attribute framing and polarization levels moderate evaluations among older and younger adults. Study 1 examined older adults sampled from community centers for retired people and younger adults sampled in public places. The findings showed that older adults were more susceptible to attribute framing than younger adults, whereas their sensitivity to polarization levels was lower. To test older adults who are still working, Study 2 recruited both older and younger adults from an online panel. The findings replicated the effects of attribute framing and polarization level, but these effects were not significantly different across age groups. The difference between Study 1 and Study 2 in age-related effects suggests that chronological age is not the sole predictor of changes in evaluations and decision making among older adults. Future research should explore the contribution of cognitive - social aptitudes to these changes. The findings were interpreted in view of fuzzy-trace theory, suggesting that older adults rely more heavily on gist, owing to better experience-based abstractions, along with poorer verbatim representations, making them more susceptible to framing bias and less sensitive to polarization levels. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.