Stereotype Threat and Older Adults

University Of San Francisco, San Francisco CA

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Abstract

Negative stereotypes about older adults are pervasive. Younger, middle- aged and older adults are all aware of stereotypes that portray older adults are forgetful and as experiencing memory loss. Stereotype threat (ST) is the concern that one's performance will reinforce the stereotype about one's group. Although ST has been used to study the effects of stereotypes in race/ethnicity and gender, it is not known if and how ST affects older adults. This research will apply the theory of ST to age. Older and younger adults will be randomly assigned to receive test instructions that either focus on memory (and thus allow confirmation of a negative aging stereotype) or on understanding (not an age-relevant stereotype). Performance on memory tasks will then be measured. Preliminary results suggest that older adults are susceptible to age- related ST, whereas younger adults are not. In addition to evaluating the effects of ST on memory performance, this research will determine whether ST affects older adults in other stereotype-relevant areas. Under conditions of ST, older adults will may distance themselves from participation in age-stereotyped behaviors. Older adults will be asked to rather their interest in age-stereotyped activities, their willingness to use age-stereotyped aids (e.g., a hearing aid), and their interest in interacting with older adult adults under ST and non-ST conditions. The overall objective of this research is to demonstrative effects of ST on older adults. The aims are to determine: 1) whether conditions that allow confirmations of a negative aging stereotype result in impaired performance; 2) how ST affects older adults' interest in participating in activities that are age-stereotyped; and 3) whether ST is associated with social distancing from other older adults. The immediate implication of ST is that one's performance is impaired, resulting in performance that is under-representative of one's abilities. This research will lay the groundwork for examining potential long-term effects of ST on older adults. By first establishing immediate impacts of ST on memory and on interest in age-stereotyped activities and behaviors, it will be possible in future studies to demonstrated larger implications such as ramifications of avoiding age-relevant coping strategies or same-age peers, which could lead to social isolation, decreased quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality.