Social and Psychological Mechanisms of the Relation between Age and Openness to Attitude change

University Of Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

Conventional wisdom holds that as people age, they become more rigid in their views and less open to change. A great deal of initial research seemed to confirm this notion. But more recent research has demonstrated that the relation between age and openness to change is actually curvilinear: susceptibility to attitude change is high during young adulthood, drops sharply through the middle adult years, but rises again starting at about age 65. Drawing on literatures in psychology, sociology, and political science, the current research seeks to understand why age is related to susceptibility to attitude change by identifying some of the mechanisms of this relation. This research will explore a novel set of hypotheses about the determinants of attitude change susceptibility more generally. Specifically, the current research will explore five potential mechanisms by which aging may lead to fluctuation in openness to attitude change. First, it will examine the impact of social network structure and composition on people's openness to change. Second, it will examine the impact of multiple role transitions on openness to change. Third, it will explore the implications of cognitive functioning for attitude change processes. Fourth, it will examine the notion that self-efficacy regarding resistance to attitude change may vary with age and may regulate susceptibility to change. Finally, this research will explore age-related changes the social goals that people pursue in the persuasion context and will trace the implications of these goals for persuasion processes. A panel survey of a large, representative sample of adults will measure participants' attitudes toward a broad array of objects, expose some of those attitudes to persuasive challenges, and gauge attitude change. Measures of the five factors will permit tests of whether each regulates openness to attitude change and whether one or more contribute to the relation between age and openness to change. By exploring the mechanisms responsible for the relation between age and openness to attitude change, this research promises to shed new light on age-related changes in thinking, evaluating, and action, thereby enriching our understanding of the social psychology of aging. This is especially important given that the American population is aging rapidly, and the oldest Americans are composing an increasingly large portion of the nation. A better understanding of the psychology of aging will aid social planners and support agencies in helping the elderly meet the challenges of adaptation and effective survival.