This research employs a bio-cognitive perspective to consider the ways in which late life outcomes depend on other people's age-related stereotypes and older adults' responses to others' age stereotypes. Age stereotyping is often "benevolent" in nature; that is, it includes an image of older adults as child-like and in need of protection. This type of reaction -- although well-meaning -- demeans the competence of older adults and fails to recognize the strengths that also come with aging. The specific objectives of the project are to determine (1) the contexts and individual differences that either foster or limit age stereotyping of older adults, (2) the contexts and individual differences among older adults that lead them to be more or less vulnerable to (ageist) stereotype threat, and (3) the mediators of these processes with a particular attention to hormonal and cardiovascular responses associated with power or subordination. Several questions guide this research. First, do older adults show differences in measured competence when a task is posed as a measure of "memory" versus a measure of "wisdom." Second, what is the basis of the differences between those who stigmatize older adults and those more likely to show respect for them? Third, how does age bias among younger adults (and resultant condescension in their style of communication) operate to influence the actual performance of older adults? Findings from this work will demonstrate both the harmful effects of age stereotyping and the ways in which it can be prevented. Ultimately, this research will provide information that is useful within general educational programs, as well as for those who provide professional services to older adults.
PROJECT SUMMARY Intellectual Merit The research conducted considered the ways the experiences of older adults depend on (1) the ageist responses of younger adults, (2) the responses that older adults show to the ageist speech style of others, and (3) the role of stress-related physiological responses as a mediator of the association between age and physical health. We found that the speech pattern shown to older adults is characterized by elevated volume, slow pace, and high pitch. It is patronizing in quality, and shows a resemblance to the way adults talk to infants or very young children. When adults were given instructions on how to complete a complex task (putting together blocks to form a particular pattern), their success varied based on the speech style of the instructor. When instructions were given in a loud, high pitch voice at a slow pace, older adults showed a poorer performance than when the instructions were given in a softer, lower pitch voice at a moderate pace. Finally, we found that the relation between age and reduced health is partially mediated by stress-related physiological changes. That is, with increased age, individuals show daily increases in a stress-related enzyme (alpha amylase) which, in turn, predict a greater frequency of health problems. Broader Impact These findings have implications for individuals or agencies that provide professional services to older adults. For example, they can provide the basis for relevant training in medical schools, nursing schools, and staff employed within facilities that house older adults.
