Ruth A. Lamont

A Review and Meta-Analysis of Age-Based Stereotype Threat: Negative Stereotypes, Not Facts, Do the Damage

Stereotype threat effects arise when an individual feels at risk of confirming a negative stereotype about their group and consequently underperforms on stereotype relevant tasks (Steele, 2010). Among older people, underperformance across cognitive and physical tasks is hypothesized to result from age-based stereotype threat (ABST) because of negative age-stereotypes regarding older adults’ competence. The present review and meta-analyses examine 22 published and 10 unpublished articles, including 82 effect sizes (N = 3882) investigating ABST on older people’s (Mage = 69.5) performance. The analysis revealed a significant small-to-medium effect of ABST (d = .28) and important moderators of the effect size. Specifically, older adults are more vulnerable to ABST when (a) stereotype-based rather than fact-based manipulations are used (d = .52); (b) when performance is tested using cognitive measures (d = .36); and (c) occurs reliably when the dependent variable is measured proximally to the manipulation. The review raises important theoretical and methodological issues, and areas for future research.

Are they half as strong as they used to be? An experiment testing whether age-related social comparisons impair older people's hand grip strength and persistence

Objective To assess how age-related social comparisons, which are likely to arise inadvertently or deliberately during assessments, may affect older peoples performance on tests that are used to assess their needs and capability. Design The study randomly assigned participants to a comparison with younger people or a no comparison condition and assessed hand grip strength and persistence. Gender, education, type of residence, arthritis and age were also recorded. Setting Age UK centres and seniors lunches in the South of England. Participants An opportunity sample of 56 adults, with a mean age of 82.25 years. Main outcomes measures Hand grip strength measured using a manual hand dynamometer and persistence of grip measured using a stopwatch. Results Comparison caused significantly worse performance measured by both strength (comparison =6.85 kg, 95% CI 4.19 kg to 9.5 kg, control group =11.07 kg, 95% CI 8.47 kg to 13.68 kg, OR =0.51, p=0.027) and persistence (comparison =8.36 s, 95% CI 5.44 s to 11.29 s; control group =12.57 s, 95% CI 9.7 s to 15.45 s, OR =0.49, p=0.045). These effects remained significant after accounting for differences in arthritis, gender, education and adjusting for population age norms. Conclusions Due to the potential for age comparisons and negative stereotype activation during assessment of older people, such assessments may underestimate physical capability by up to 50%. Because age comparisons are endemic, this means that assessment tests may sometimes seriously underestimate older peoples capacity and prognosis, which has implications for the way healthcare professionals treat them in terms of autonomy and dependency.

Social Support and Attitudes to Aging in Later Life

Negative attitudes to aging are a risk factor for poor health and well-being. The current study sought to examine satisfaction with social support as a potentially modifiable factor that might facilitate the development of more positive attitudes to aging. A convenience sample of 501 older respondents (Mage = 72.06) reported on frequency of social support and their satisfaction with it, as well as completing a rating of attachment (model of the self and others), a measure of attitudes to aging, and a number of background measures. Results indicated that better subjective health, younger age, and greater satisfaction with social support were all significant predictors of more positive attitudes to aging, while frequency of social support was not. Model of the self accounted for some variation in satisfaction with social support. Interventions to increase satisfaction with social support in later life, recognizing individual differences and attachment styles, may improve attitudes to aging and further support health and well-being.

Surveillance or self-surveillance? Behavioral cues can increase the rate of drivers’ pro-environmental behavior at a long wait stop

By leaving their engines idling for long periods, drivers contribute unnecessarily to air pollution, waste fuel, and produce noise and fumes that harm the environment. Railway level crossings are sites where many cars idle, many times a day. In this research, testing two psychological theories of influence, we examine the potential to encourage drivers to switch off their ignition while waiting at rail crossings. Two field studies presented different signs at a busy rail crossing site with a 2-min average wait. Inducing public self-focus (via a “Watching Eyes” stimulus) was not effective, even when accompanied by a written behavioral instruction. Instead, cueing a private-self focus (“think of yourself”) was more effective, doubling the level of behavioral compliance. These findings confirm the need to engage the self when trying to instigate self-regulatory action, but that cues evoking self-surveillance may sometimes be more effective than cues that imply external surveillance.

Categorization by Age

The process of age categorization serves biological, psychological, and social functions by enabling us to deal with stimuli from the world around us more effectively. For instance, categorizing the self as belonging to a particular age group can inform and provide a meaningful social identity, which is fundamental to how we define and see ourselves (Harwood et al. 1995; Tajfel and Turner 1979; Tajfel 1981). Perceiving others’ age can inform our feelings and behavior toward them, and can underpin judgments about attractiveness, which is associated with reproductive success (Jokela 2009). In this entry, we draw on social psychological, cognitive, and evolutionary theories to provide an overview of categorization by age. After defining age categories or groups and providing examples of the subjective nature of their boundaries, we provide an overview of the cognitive processes underpinning how people perceive others’ age, the biological and social cues used to estimate, and categorize others by age. We consider the function of age categorization, both as a way of classifying others to simplify the world around us and classifying ourselves to help define our own identity. We then explore the social psychological and behavioral consequences or risks of age categorization and how it underpins age stereotypes, age prejudice, and aged-based discrimination.

Inequalities in living well with dementia-The impact of deprivation on well-being, quality of life and life satisfaction: Results from the improving the experience of dementia and enhancing active life study

Area level factors, such as deprivation and urban/rural settings, have been associated with variation in local resources and services and health inequality in later life. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential impact of deprivation and urban/rural areas on capability to live well with dementia and to examine whether availability of informal carers modified the associations.

A COMPREHENSIVE MODEL OF FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SUBJECTIVE PERCEPTIONS OF LIVING WELL WITH DEMENTIA: FINDINGS FROM THE IDEAL STUDY

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