scholarly journals Older adults across the globe exhibit increased prosocial behavior but also greater in-group preferences

Nature Aging ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (10) ◽  
pp. 880-888
Author(s):  
Jo Cutler ◽  
Jonas P. Nitschke ◽  
Claus Lamm ◽  
Patricia L. Lockwood
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Willingness To Donate ◽  
The Social ◽  
Group Preferences ◽  
Global Study ◽  
Aging Populations ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

AbstractPopulation aging is a global phenomenon with substantial implications across society1,2. Prosocial behaviors—actions that benefit others—promote mental and physical health across the lifespan3,4 and can save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined whether age predicts prosociality in a preregistered global study (46,576 people aged 18–99 across 67 countries) using two acutely relevant measures: distancing during COVID-19 and willingness to donate to hypothetical charities. Age positively predicted prosociality on both measures, with increased distancing and donations among older adults. However, older adults were more in-group focused than younger adults in choosing who to help, making larger donations to national over international charities and reporting increased in-group preferences. In-group preferences helped explain greater national over international donations. Results were robust to several control analyses and internal replication. Our findings have vital implications for predicting the social and economic impacts of aging populations, increasing compliance with public health measures and encouraging charitable donations.

Age Differences in the Social Associative Learning of Trust Information

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendra Leigh Seaman ◽  
Alexander P. Christensen ◽  
Katherine Senn ◽  
Jessica Cooper ◽  
Brittany Shane Cassidy
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Social Cues ◽  
Trust Game ◽  
Time Model ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Cortical Areas ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Social ◽  
Over Time

Trust is a key component of social interaction. Older adults, however, often exhibit excessive trust relative to younger adults. One explanation is that older adults may learn to trust differently than younger adults. Here, we examine how younger (N=33) and older adults (N=30) learn to trust over time. Participants completed a classic iterative trust game with three partners. Younger and older adults shared similar amounts but differed in how they shared money. Compared to younger adults, older adults invested more with untrustworthy partners and less with trustworthy partners. As a group, older adults displayed less learning than younger adults. However, computational modeling shows that this is because older adults are more likely to forget what they have learned over time. Model-based fMRI analyses revealed several age-related differences in neural processing. Younger adults showed prediction error signals in social processing areas while older adults showed over-recruitment of several cortical areas. Collectively, these findings suggest that older adults attend to and learn from social cues differently from younger adults.

On the origins of ageism among older and younger adults

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1003-1014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehud Bodner
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Defensive Strategy ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Worth ◽  
Suitable Framework ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

ABSTRACTBackground: Ageism is apparent in many social structures and contexts and in diverse forms over the life cycle. This review discusses the development and consequences of ageism toward elderly people by others of any age, according to the Terror Management Theory (TMT) and the Social Identity Theory (SIT).Method: A systematic search of the literature was carried out on the social and psychological origins of ageism in younger and older adults.Results: Studies on the reasons for ageism among older adults point to attitudes that older adults have toward their own age group, while studies on ageism in young adults explain it as an unconscious defensive strategy which younger adults use against death anxiety. In other words, TMT can serve as a suitable framework for ageism in younger adults, and SIT appears to explain ageism in older adults.Conclusions: A dissociation of the linkage between death and old age in younger adults can be achieved by changing the concepts of death and old age. For older adults, it is recommended to improve self-worth by encouraging social contacts in which older adults contribute to younger adults, weaken the effects of age stereotypes in TV programs, and prepare middle-aged adults for living healthy lives as older adults. However, these conclusions should be regarded with caution, because several key areas (age related cues, activated cognitive processes, impact of death awareness on ageism) need to be investigated in order to validate this understanding of the origins of ageism among younger and older adults.

scholarly journals Vulnerability and Resilience Among Older Adults During the COVID Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 130-130
Author(s):  
Carolyn Aldwin
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Vietnam Veterans ◽  
Community Resources ◽  
Combat Experience ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Meaning In Work ◽  
Physical Health Problems ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic is particularly challenging for many older adults. They are strongly encouraged to practice social distancing and sheltering in place to decrease morbidity and mortality risks. However, social isolation and loneliness increase the risk of mental and physical health problems. Nonetheless, there are indications that older adults may be more resilient than originally thought. Park et al. present longitudinal findings that younger adults fared worse than middle-aged or older ones, reporting greater distress and less social support, mindfulness, and emotion regulation skills. For older participants, acceptance of negative emotions and social support predicted lower distress. Choun et al. also present longitudinal data, showing that depressive symptoms decreased among older adults during the lockdown phase of the pandemic, but reflected changes in loneliness and physical health symptoms. Stellman et al. found that moderate levels of combat experience were helpful for some older Vietnam veterans coping with the pandemic, although a few found that it made coping more difficult. Turner et al. found that positive, non-familial intergenerational contacts were associated with a higher number of positive pandemic-related changes, such as finding new hobbies and meaning in work. Finally, Aldwin et al. present a social ecological approach to vulnerability and resilience. Using qualitative data, they found that stressors and resources were reported at personal, interpersonal and societal levels. Further, older adults both took comfort from and contributed to community resources during this pandemic. In summary, this symposium identified factors that contribute to older adults’ resilience during this pandemic.

The Influence of Aging Stereotype on Young Adults’ Decision-making

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tingting Liu ◽  
Cai Xing
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Chinese Culture ◽  
Ultimatum Game ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Stereotype Content ◽  
Economic Decision Making ◽  
The Social ◽  
Psychological Mechanism

Nowadays, the interactions between older adults and younger adults in social-economic decision-making are growing, which attracts lots of attention from psychology researchers. Pioneering findings have shown that the younger adults will accept more unfair offers from the older providers and accept them with being less angry. As suggested by previous research, the aging stereotype towards older adults might play a role in this process. Based on these results, the current research takes these findings a step further and tries to find the underlying psychological mechanism using the widely used Ultimatum Game (UG). Experiment 1 replicated the experiments of Bailey and colleagues (2013) under the Chinese culture and found that younger adults were less motivated to earn money when receiving offers from the old adults in the task. Experiment 2 primed four types of aging stereotypes (high capability & high warmth, high capability & low warmth, low capability & high warmth, and low capability & low warmth) using reading materials before they started the UG. Younger adults were told to the offer were from either older or younger adults. The results showed that a) for fair offers, the aging stereotypes did not affect younger adults’ acceptance rate, level of anger, and their motivations to earn money from their younger peers; b) when the unfair offers that were from the older adults: priming high capability and high warmth aging stereotype led to the lowest accept rate, while priming low capability and low warmth aging stereotype led to the highest accept rate of the offer; high capability and low warmth, than low capability and high warmth, stereotype makes participants felt angrier when receiving the unfair offers, and participants reported higher motivation to earn money after being primed with high capability and low warmth than that being primed with low capability and low warmth stereotype of older adults. Interpretations of the current findings were discussed with the Social Identity Theory, Social Comparison, and the Stereotype Content Model.

scholarly journals PERCEPCIÓN DEL PACIENTE ADULTO MAYOR PLURIPATOLÓGICO ANTE LA POLIMEDICACIÓN.

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 8-17
Author(s):  
Carlos José Zhuzhingo Vásquez ◽  
María Isabel Torres Jaramillo ◽  
Julia Nathaly Tacuri Romero ◽  
Jenny Lisseth Bastidas Riofrío ◽  
Wilson Adrián Huailas Suquilanda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Perception ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Negative Component ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Medical Prescription ◽  
Relieve Pain ◽  
The Social ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Aging Conditions

El envejecimiento poblacional condiciona el aumento de Multimorbilidad a causa de Enfermedades Crónicas, lo que predispone a la Polimedicación y los consecuentes problemas relacionados con los mismos. El presente estudio evidencia la prevalencia de la Polimedicación y la percepción de medicalización de las enfermedades. Se obtiene la colaboración de 124 pacientes adultos mayores, donde la prevalencia de Polimedicación fue del 75 %, en relación estadística significativa con el sexo femenino, adultos mayores jóvenes (p˂0.05) y el estado Pluripatológico (p˂0.04). Se determina una evidente perspectiva de medicalización de las enfermedades; la fácil adquisición de medicamentos (94 %) marca un factor importante por la cual se prescinde la prescripción médica para la obtención de fármacos. La falta de cobertura médica referida (98 %) para aliviar el dolor o molestias ocasionadas por sus enfermedades (72 %), condiciona al aumento de Polimedicación inadecuada. El 90 % de los pacientes no reconocen los efectos negativos por el uso indiscriminado de medicamentos, lo que conlleva a la percepción no justificada de tomar medicación para prevenir o mejorar enfermedades (52 %); ideología adoptada en base a recomendaciones de anuncios publicitarios (52 %). A pesar de la clara problemática de la Polimedicación, el 88 % optan por no asumir la responsabilidad del mal uso de medicamentos; aunque consideran necesario intervenciones de control y buen manejo de fármacos. Se concluye con una alta prevalencia de la Polimedicación y un componente negativo de percepción social de medicalización de las enfermedades, los mismos que requieren una emergente intervención integral que logren mitigar el impacto que produce en las poblaciones vulnerables. Abstract Population aging conditions the increase in Multimorbidity due to Chronic Diseases, which predisposes to Polymedication and the consequences related to them. The present study demonstrates the prevalence of Polymedication and the perception of the medicine of diseases. The collaboration of 124 elderly patients was obtained, where the 75 % policy prevailed, in relation to the female sex, older adults (p˂0.05) and the Pluripathological state (p˂0.04). An obvious perspective of disease medicine is determined; the easy acquisition of medications (94 %) marks an important factor due to the prescription of the medical prescription for obtaining drugs. The lack of referred medical coverage (98 %) to relieve pain or discomfort caused by their illnesses (72 %), conditions the increase of inadequate Polymedication. 90 % of patients do not recognize the negative effects of the indiscriminate use of medications, which entails the unjustified perception of taking measures to prevent or ameliorate diseases (52%); The ideology adopted based on the recommendations of advertisements (52 %). Despite the clear problem of Polymedication, 88% do not respond to the responsibility for the use of medications; Although you have to take into account. It concludes with a high prevalence of Polymedication and a negative component of the social perception of the disease.

Age norms for older adults among Koreans: perceptions and influencing factors

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 1335-1355 ◽  
Author(s):  
SOONDOOL CHUNG ◽  
YUNKYUNG JUNG
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Adult Group ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Age Norms ◽  
The Social ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

ABSTRACTDespite rapid social change that has influenced the social status of older adults, expectations about their behaviour and whether such expectations differ across generations remain unexplored in Korea. Based on ageing theories of activity, disengagement and modernisation, this study investigated age norms among Koreans conceptualised as shared expectations of appropriate behaviours of older adults. Competing perspectives in intergenerational relations and prejudice toward older adults were examined to test if they influenced age norms and if such associations varied across different age groups. Data were analysed from a survey of 1,445 individuals aged 20 and above who resided in 16 administrative districts of Korea. Comparisons of age norms across age groups indicated that the older adult group (age 65+) held more restrictive attitudes about social participation and engagement in various behaviours in old age than the middle-aged adults (ages 45–64) and younger adults (ages 20–44). Respondents with more prejudice towards older adults tended to place more restrictions on the behaviour of older adults. A significant interaction indicated that respondents whose views were in line with a generational conflictive perspective, assessed as reporting more competitive perspectives between young and old people and being less supportive of intergenerational programmes, had a more restrictive view about older adults' behaviours among the middle-aged group but less restrictive attitudes in determining acceptable behaviour in later life among the older adult group.

scholarly journals EVERYDAY MEMORY IN OLDER AND YOUNGER ADULTS: OUTSOURCING, SOCIALLY-DISTRIBUTED REMEMBERING & CONCEPTUALIZATION

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S919-S919
Author(s):  
Emily Lustig ◽  
Christopher Hertzog ◽  
Ann Pearman ◽  
Kirsten Reynolds ◽  
Aiman Waris
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Distributed Cognition ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Constructivist Grounded Theory ◽  
Small Subset ◽  
Significant Other ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Everyday Memory ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Engagements

Abstract Qualitative interview data about everyday remembering within the context of older adults ages 62-83, (N= 27, M=69.5, SD=5.72) and younger adults ages 18-24 (N=29, M=21.2, SD= 1.77) lives were collected and analyzed using constructivist grounded theory methods. This study sought to compare the processes used by these individuals in their pursuit of everyday memory-demanding goals and their conceptualization of these methods. Older adults typically reported importance beliefs that guided memory-supportive behaviors for things like social engagements or medical appointments, whereas younger adults reported important information as being primarily school-related. There were major differences in the execution and conceptualization for remembering critical information. Younger adults engaged in a form of socially-distributed cognition, wherein they relied on and outsourced remembering to technology and other people via apps. Interestingly, younger adults relied on others to remind them about coursework, extra-curricular activities, and social obligations via social communication platforms (e.g. GroupMe), text messages, and shared calendar alerts. Very few of the younger adults sampled were responsible for reminding others, but relied on the social altruism of their peers who were responsible for disseminating mass reminders. Conversely, technological outsourcing was not as prevalent in the older adults interviewed and only a few shared that they received similar reminders via text or email. Of the few cases that did outsource, a small subset did, however, engage in these processes within small groups or pairs, wherein a friend or significant other reminded them about social gatherings or names but in a much smaller proportion, comparatively.

scholarly journals Confucian Values as a Buffer Against Age-Based Stereotype Threat for Chinese Older Adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 504-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shyuan Ching Tan ◽  
Sarah J Barber
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Stereotype Threat ◽  
Filial Piety ◽  
Chinese Culture ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
The United States ◽  
Chinese Older Adults ◽  
The Social ◽  
Evaluative Pressure

Abstract Objectives Research has shown that stereotype threat can impair older adults’ memory in Western cultures. We tested whether this also occurs for older adults from the East Asian Chinese culture. We also tested whether an intervention that highlighted Confucian principles would protect Chinese older adults from stereotype threat’s detrimental effects. Method Culturally-Chinese older adults residing in the United States completed a memory test either under age-based stereotype threat about cognitive decline or not. Prior to this, some participants were also reminded of Confucian traditions of filial piety and were assured these values had been transmitted to the younger generation. Results Stereotype threat impaired Chinese older adults’ memory performance. However, our intervention was effective in eliminating this deficit. When the Chinese participants were reminded of the Confucian principle of filial piety they did not exhibit stereotype threat effects. Discussion Confirming that younger adults have an obligation to respect their elders can eliminate the social-evaluative pressure of stereotype threat for Chinese older adults. These findings are noteworthy since population aging is happening at an unprecedented pace in East Asia. Although our results suggest that stereotype threat can adversely affect older adults’ cognitive performance in these societies, we also identify a culturally-based intervention to alleviate this impairment.

scholarly journals PARADOXICAL ASSOCIATION BETWEEN AGING STEREOTYPES AND PROSOCIAL BEHAVIORS TOWARD OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S729-S729
Author(s):  
Xin Zhang ◽  
Cai Xing ◽  
Ming Liu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Ultimatum Game ◽  
Value Orientation ◽  
Social Value ◽  
Prosocial Behaviors ◽  
Social Value Orientation ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Stereotype Content ◽  
The Social

Abstract According to stereotype content model, older adults were perceived as low in competence (but high in warmth). Studies have demonstrated that such negative stereotypes could affect older adults significantly. However, it remained unclear how younger adults could be influenced, especially during intergenerational interactions, i.e., would positive or negative aging stereotypes promote more prosocial behaviors toward older adults. 104 younger adults were randomly assigned to three aging stereotype conditions (i.e., negative, neutral vs. positive), and they were then introduced to play two prosocial tasks (i.e., social value orientation and ultimatum game), in which they were imagined to play with either a younger or an older adults. It was found that younger adults exhibited more prosocial tendencies toward older partners than that to younger partners in both tasks. Moreover, activation of a negative aging stereotype could make younger adults behave more prosocially to the older partners in the social value orientation task.

Age differences in emotion perception

2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 597-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew W. E. Murry ◽  
Derek M. Isaacowitz
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Environment ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Emotion Perception ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Age Difference ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Partners ◽  
Facial Emotion Perception

Older adults tend to have lower emotion-perception accuracy compared to younger adults. Previous studies have centered on individual characteristics, including cognitive decline and positive attentional preferences, as possible mechanisms underlying these age differences in emotion perception; however, thus far, no perceiver-focused factor has accounted for the age differences. The present study focuses on perceived social-context factors and uses the Social Input Model as the framework for investigating the relation between the expressivity of the social environment and emotion-perception accuracy in younger and older adults. Younger ( n = 32) and older adults ( n = 29) reported on the make-up of their social circles and the expressivity of their three closest social partners and then completed a static facial emotion-perception task. Older adults reported greater positive and negative expressivity in their social partners compared to younger adults. Moreover, older adults were marginally less accurate than younger adults when perceiving emotions. Positive expressivity of the social partners predicted lower emotion-perception accuracy in younger but not older adults. Our findings mark the first step to identifying possible characteristics of the social environment that may contribute to the age difference in emotion-perception accuracy.

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