TY - JOUR
T1 - Reducing ageism
T2 - Education about aging and extended contact with older adults
AU - Lytle, Ashley
AU - Levy, Sheri R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved.
PY - 2019/5/17
Y1 - 2019/5/17
N2 - Background and Objectives: Ageism is of increasing concern due to the growing older population worldwide and youth-centered focus of many societies. Research Design and Methods: The current investigation tested the PEACE (Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experiences) model for the first time. Two online experimental studies examined 2 key factors for reducing ageism: education about aging (providing accurate information about aging) and extended contact (knowledge of positive intergenerational contact) as well as their potential combined effect (education plus extended contact). Results and Discussion: In Study 1, 354 undergraduates in all 3 experimental conditions (vs. control participants) reported less negative attitudes toward older adults (delayed post-test) and greater aging knowledge (immediate and delayed post-tests), when controlling for pre-study attitudes. In Study 2, 505 national community participants (ages 18-59) in all experimental conditions (vs. control participants) reported less negative attitudes toward older adults (immediate post-test) and greater aging knowledge (immediate and delayed post-tests). In summary, across 2 online studies, education about aging and knowledge of intergenerational extended contact improved attitudes toward older adults and aging knowledge. Implications: Thus, brief, online ageism-reduction strategies can be an effective way to combat ageism. These strategies hold promise to be tested in other settings, with other samples, and to be elaborated into more in-depth interventions that aim to reduce ageism in everyday culture.
AB - Background and Objectives: Ageism is of increasing concern due to the growing older population worldwide and youth-centered focus of many societies. Research Design and Methods: The current investigation tested the PEACE (Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experiences) model for the first time. Two online experimental studies examined 2 key factors for reducing ageism: education about aging (providing accurate information about aging) and extended contact (knowledge of positive intergenerational contact) as well as their potential combined effect (education plus extended contact). Results and Discussion: In Study 1, 354 undergraduates in all 3 experimental conditions (vs. control participants) reported less negative attitudes toward older adults (delayed post-test) and greater aging knowledge (immediate and delayed post-tests), when controlling for pre-study attitudes. In Study 2, 505 national community participants (ages 18-59) in all experimental conditions (vs. control participants) reported less negative attitudes toward older adults (immediate post-test) and greater aging knowledge (immediate and delayed post-tests). In summary, across 2 online studies, education about aging and knowledge of intergenerational extended contact improved attitudes toward older adults and aging knowledge. Implications: Thus, brief, online ageism-reduction strategies can be an effective way to combat ageism. These strategies hold promise to be tested in other settings, with other samples, and to be elaborated into more in-depth interventions that aim to reduce ageism in everyday culture.
KW - Experimental design
KW - Intergenerational relationships
KW - Intervention
KW - Prejudice reduction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85066863990&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85066863990&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/geront/gnx177
DO - 10.1093/geront/gnx177
M3 - Article
C2 - 29165571
AN - SCOPUS:85066863990
SN - 0016-9013
VL - 59
SP - 580
EP - 588
JO - Gerontologist
JF - Gerontologist
IS - 3
ER -