Activities Adjusting Attitudes: The Impact of Lifestyle on Age Stereotype and Beliefs

Negative stereotypes about old age in general, such as the belief the older people are frail and forgetful or the expectation that declines are inevitable with increased age (Hummert, 2011; Kite & Stockdale, 2005) become self-relevant once individuals identify as old (Levy, 2009). In turn, negative attitudes about one’s own aging is linked to impaired performance, such as poorer memory (Levy, 2000) and slower walking (Levy et al., 2012), and detrimental health outcomes, such as worse physical health (Siebert et al., 2016), slower recovery from illness (Nelson, 2016), and reduced longevity (Levy et al., 2002). Research suggests that increased knowledge and awareness about a social group may reduce reliance on the stereotypes and encourage more realistic beliefs (Hess, 2006). Further, engaged lifestyles, such as participation in social activities are cognitively stimulating or physically active may promote healthier aging (Hertzog et al., 2008). We propose that benefits from these lifestyle activities might transfer to enhanced age attitudes. The purpose of the proposed research is to test whether engaged lifestyles, positive intergenerational contact, and more knowledge about aging relate to more positive age attitudes in general and about one’s own age. Members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), aged 50 years and older, will be compensated with $15 gift cards for completing surveys about their general lifestyle activities, engagement in OLLI activities, quality and frequency of contact with younger adults, and age attitudes. We expect that self-relevant age attitudes will be more positive for individuals who participate in more activities and spend quality time with younger adults. More positive attitudes about old age in general is expected for participants who learned about the “typical” aging process in OLLI classes. Results may inform development of psychosocial interventions to improve aging attitudes and reveal which specific activities are best for healthy aging

Are You Threatening Me? Responses to Age-Based Stereotype Threat

Negative age stereotypes are detrimental (Hummert, 2011). Age-based stereotype threat (ABST) effects arise when older adults underperform on a stereotype-relevant task because they fear confirming the stereotype (Lamont et al., 2015). ABST might be worse for individuals with higher task-related anxiety (Abrams et al. 2008), lower confidence (Desrichard and Köpetz, 2005), or more negative aging attitudes (Hummert, 2011). This research aimed to replicate an ABST manipulation that disrupted performance on a dementia screening (Mazerolle et al., 2017) and to test mechanisms of ABST. We expected high ABST instructions to result in poorer memory, higher anxiety, lower confidence, and more negative aging beliefs. Participants (56-86 years old, M=74.69, SD=7.55, 90% female, 86% white, 49% completed Bachelor’s degree) were randomly assigned to high (n=14) or null (n=15) ABST and completed a memory task and surveys. Memory was worse for high (M=19%, SD=18%) compared to null (M=32%, SD=22%) threat, t(27)=1.81, p=0.041. The groups did not differ in anxiety, confidence, nor perception of stereotype threat. Interestingly, higher perceived threat was related to greater anxiety, r=-.370, p=.048, and to feeling older, r=-.328, p=.042. Confidence was higher for lower perceived threat (M=3.75, SD=0.74), than high perceived threat (M=3.19, SD=.62), t(27)=2.21, p=.018. While our data replicated the ABST manipulation, participants exposed to high threat did not report greater perception of threat: Characteristics of the testing environment (e.g., being tested alone or in groups; experimenter age) or participant characteristics (e.g., prone to anxiety, more negative age attitudes) may cumulatively contribute to the perception of threat. The long-term goal of this research program is to design and test interventions to promote ABST resilience

Are You Threatening Me? Responses to Age-Based Stereotype Threat

Negative age stereotypes are detrimental (Hummert, 2011). Age-based stereotype threat (ABST) effects arise when older adults underperform on a stereotype-relevant task because they fear confirming the stereotype (Lamont et al., 2015). ABST might be worse for individuals with higher task-related anxiety (Abrams et al. 2008), lower confidence (Desrichard and Köpetz, 2005), or more negative aging attitudes (Hummert, 2011). This research aimed to replicate an ABST manipulation that disrupted performance on a dementia screening (Mazerolle et al., 2017) and to test mechanisms of ABST. We expected high ABST instructions to result in poorer memory, higher anxiety, lower confidence, and more negative aging beliefs. Participants (56-86 years old, M=74.69, SD=7.55, 90% female, 86% white, 49% completed Bachelor’s degree) were randomly assigned to high (n=14) or null (n=15) ABST and completed a memory task and surveys. Memory was worse for high (M=19%, SD=18%) compared to null (M=32%, SD=22%) threat, t(27)=1.81, p=0.041. The groups did not differ in anxiety, confidence, nor perception of stereotype threat. Interestingly, higher perceived threat was related to greater anxiety, r=-.370, p=.048, and to feeling older, r=-.328, p=.042. Confidence was higher for lower perceived threat (M=3.75, SD=0.74), than high perceived threat (M=3.19, SD=.62), t(27)=2.21, p=.018. While our data replicated the ABST manipulation, participants exposed to high threat did not report greater perception of threat: Characteristics of the testing environment (e.g., being tested alone or in groups; experimenter age) or participant characteristics (e.g., prone to anxiety, more negative age attitudes) may cumulatively contribute to the perception of threat. The long-term goal of this research program is to design and test interventions to promote ABST resilience

Child Temperament

Child Temperament Stephany Barajas, Cynthia Granados Zuniga, Sebastian Getman University of the Pacific This study explores adult’s fearful behavior during their toddler years and how this temperament upholds a longstanding impact on their future and chances for anxiety disorder symptoms. Previous studies suggest that in certain cases, there are children who are shy and have fear that is not normal to have. These children with dysregulated fear have withdrawal and fearful behaviors that rarely improve, rather, they can worsen over time (Buss, 2011). This can have a large effect on children’s social and academic success. This paper references previous research, the research we have conducted, and highlights the importance of child anxiety and fearful behavior. We built on previous studies by delving into adult temperance and their recollection of their child temperament, which aimed at determining the long lasting effects of child temperament on later life success and social states. We had 54 participants take part in an online survey which would determine their child temperament and current adult temperament through a series of probing questions. We hypothesized that participants with fearful child temperament would positively correlate to later anxiety disorders and to a less successful status in life. Data collection is currently ongoing. Keywords: child temperament, dysregulated fear, adult success, adult temperamen

Child Temperament

Child Temperament Stephany Barajas, Cynthia Granados Zuniga, Sebastian Getman University of the Pacific This study explores adult’s fearful behavior during their toddler years and how this temperament upholds a longstanding impact on their future and chances for anxiety disorder symptoms. Previous studies suggest that in certain cases, there are children who are shy and have fear that is not normal to have. These children with dysregulated fear have withdrawal and fearful behaviors that rarely improve, rather, they can worsen over time (Buss, 2011). This can have a large effect on children’s social and academic success. This paper references previous research, the research we have conducted, and highlights the importance of child anxiety and fearful behavior. We built on previous studies by delving into adult temperance and their recollection of their child temperament, which aimed at determining the long lasting effects of child temperament on later life success and social states. We had 54 participants take part in an online survey which would determine their child temperament and current adult temperament through a series of probing questions. We hypothesized that participants with fearful child temperament would positively correlate to later anxiety disorders and to a less successful status in life. Data collection is currently ongoing. Keywords: child temperament, dysregulated fear, adult success, adult temperamen

Activities Adjusting Attitudes: The Impact of Lifestyle on Age Stereotype and Beliefs

Negative stereotypes about old age in general, such as the belief the older people are frail and forgetful or the expectation that declines are inevitable with increased age (Hummert, 2011; Kite & Stockdale, 2005) become self-relevant once individuals identify as old (Levy, 2009). In turn, negative attitudes about one’s own aging is linked to impaired performance, such as poorer memory (Levy, 2000) and slower walking (Levy et al., 2012), and detrimental health outcomes, such as worse physical health (Siebert et al., 2016), slower recovery from illness (Nelson, 2016), and reduced longevity (Levy et al., 2002). Research suggests that increased knowledge and awareness about a social group may reduce reliance on the stereotypes and encourage more realistic beliefs (Hess, 2006). Further, engaged lifestyles, such as participation in social activities are cognitively stimulating or physically active may promote healthier aging (Hertzog et al., 2008). We propose that benefits from these lifestyle activities might transfer to enhanced age attitudes. The purpose of the proposed research is to test whether engaged lifestyles, positive intergenerational contact, and more knowledge about aging relate to more positive age attitudes in general and about one’s own age. Members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), aged 50 years and older, will be compensated with $15 gift cards for completing surveys about their general lifestyle activities, engagement in OLLI activities, quality and frequency of contact with younger adults, and age attitudes. We expect that self-relevant age attitudes will be more positive for individuals who participate in more activities and spend quality time with younger adults. More positive attitudes about old age in general is expected for participants who learned about the “typical” aging process in OLLI classes. Results may inform development of psychosocial interventions to improve aging attitudes and reveal which specific activities are best for healthy aging