Intergenerational Contact and Ageist Beliefs: Perspective-Taking as a Mediator

Ageism is of increasing concern as the population of older adults increases globally. As such, understanding the influence of intergenerational contact between younger adults and older adults is crucial in reducing ageism. The current study explored intergenerational contact between young adults and older adults and perspective-taking as predictors for young adults' ageist beliefs, utilizing Allport's (1954) contact hypothesis as the theoretical foundation. Participants aged 18-26 (M = 23.07, SD = 2.15) were recruited using Prolific Academic and responded to a quantitative survey including scales related to ageism, intergenerational/intergroup contact, perspective taking, and social desirability via Qualtrics. Results indicated that younger adult's contact with older adults predicted ageist beliefs, with the relationship mediated by the younger adult's ability to take the perspective of the older adult. Findings have implications for revising intergenerational interventions and future research. Furthermore, the study expands the contact hypothesis into the field of aging and ageism and calls attention to the role of perspective-taking in changing younger adult's ageism beliefs.