Age Stereotype at work

Type of paperDissertation chapter
SubjectPsychology
Number of pages4

Format of citationAPA
Number of cited resources8
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Introduction

The aging population is among the most outstanding social and contemporary occurrences in the world. As suggested by Cuddy and Fiske (2002), the stereotype is regarded as the cognitive component that maintains our beliefs, norms, standards, and anticipations about the characteristics of members of social groups and stereotyping as the method of applying the stereotypic information. The cases of stereotypes in workplaces do not happen in separation, but rather imitate the extensive societal stereotypes about older people in the society. As hypothesized by Schmidt and Boland (1986), there exist various instances of stereotypes about older employees. Other negative stereotypes also tend to cope with mental deterioration, physical deterioration, and incapability to cope with changes, performance and productivity.

Various studies (Posthuma, & Campion, 2009), suggest that certain stereotypes towards older employees seem to instigate that they are less innovative, motivated, rigid, more resistant to adapt to new changes, and mostly not interested in training and development. On the other hand, younger workers are considered the future of society, equipped with such characteristics as ambitious, work-motivated, and having the capability to learn and adapt more swiftly to changes (Toomey, & Rudolph, 2017). This proposal paper focuses on the consequence of age stereotypes through a research based on the characteristics that influence stereotypes decisions, a detailed manipulation check and an explanation of the results.

Methodology

2.1 Sample

The research used questionnaires to analyze the stereotypes that occur amid the younger and older workers in the workplaces, which focused on large, medium and small corporations in the United States. The research involved 40 corporations and two personnel in each corporation. The corporations were randomly picked, and the selected workers were categorized according to two age groups. The groups were based on younger workers, that are, under 50 years, and older workers of 50 and above years. The sample to be used in the research involved 80 workers, with 41 (51.25%) younger employees (18-49 years) and 39 (48.75%) older employees (50-65 years).

2.2 Research Apparatus

At the moment of developing the gaging apparatus for measuring the stereotypes of workers in the workplace, the research was referred to the following hypothetical values and research of the following authors: Nelson, (Ed.) (2004); Chiu et al. (2001); Rabl, (2010); Loreto and White, (2006); Nelson, (2002). In the urge of establishing the stereotypes experienced, most of the workers selected indicated on a 5-point Likert scale categorized from 1 to 5 their agreement to the listed accounts, whereby the significance is: 1 for strongly agree and 5 for strongly disagree.

2.3 Statistical Analysis

The research explored the arithmetic means and mediums for answers about the stereotypes of younger and older workers in workplaces. A chi-square test was used to measure the distribution of choosing the younger and older workers in each condition per the question on the questionnaires. According to the test, the data displayed did not outlay a normally distributed information, for any statement that defines the stereotypes of workers, thus, the distinction amid the two independent samples in regards to workers rationale on age stereotypes.

Results and Analyses

The Figure 1 below shows the average ranks and summation for answers about stereotypes of older and younger workers on which the test was constructed. The data presented is meant to facilitate the understanding of the test results.

Figure 1: Average ranks and summation for answers

Question	Age Group	N	Mean Rank	Total Ranks
Q1: In our corporation, do I feel the existence of stereotypes about age diversity workers?	18-49	41	157.05	33460.00
	50-65	39	56.47	24518.00
	Sum	80
Q2: Regarding my age, do I feel the stereotype of less productivity?	18-49	41	76.87	4205.00
	50-65	39	176.14	54783.00
	Sum	80
Q3: Regarding my age, do I feel the stereotype of consuming more time for learning?	18-49	41	77.05	4210.00
	50-65	39	176.08	54770.00
	Sum	80
Q4: Regarding my age, do I feel the stereotype of less fondness towards new developments and alterations in the workplace?	18-49	41	77.87	5352.00
	50-65	39	175.45	53626.00
	Sum	80
Q5: Regarding my age, do I feel the stereotype of consuming much time for doing my work or work tasks?	18-49	41	74.47	5020.50
	50-65	39	175.13	53770.50
	Sum	80
Q6: Regarding my age, do I feel the stereotype of inadequate job experience?	18-49	41	201.59	43280.50
	50-65	39	97.20	14707.50
	Sum	80
Q7: Regarding my age, do I feel the stereotype of undependability and immaturity in the workstation?	18-49	41	208.42	42747.50
	50-65	39	94.05	14431.50
	Sum	80

The review of the average ranks obtained from Figure 1 above displays that in every inquiry, there exist distinguishable cases of stereotypes in the workplaces between the age groups. Three questions (Q1, Q6, and Q7) replicates greater stereotypes for younger workers than for older workers. On the other hand, four questions (Q2, Q3, Q4, and Q5) replicates greater stereotypes for older workers than for younger workers. The differences in the above cases entail that the older workers in any workstation are regarded more vulnerable to stereotypes than younger workers.

With regards to the results obtained, it is notable that older employees tend to express strong agreement towards being stereotyped as being less productive, consume much time in learning and development, are less fond towards new developments and alterations in the workplace, and consume much time for doing their work or work tasks. According to reality, older employees usually have complications within their places of work since they are handled contrarily to younger workers.

Conclusion

To conclude, age discernment, biases and stereotypes about age in workplaces have a substantial negative influence on the working environment, and safety of the older workers health wise. This rationale emanates from the fact that younger workers encompass little or inadequate professional expertise, which results in a further pressure of the younger workers in their respective workplaces. Considering the research hypothesis, I would, therefore, recommend that the employers and managers should keenly track workers’ decisions to seek the patterns of age discrimination since most of the negative stereotypes about older workers are neither accurate nor right. Increasing the chances for every worker of all ages could assist in minimizing the negative cases of stereotypes geared towards the older workers in their respective places of work.

References

Chiu, W. C. K., Chan, A. W., Snape, E., Redman, T. (2001): Age stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes towards older workers: an EastWest comparison. Human Relations, 54 (5), 629-661.

Cuddy, A., Fiske, S. (2002): Doddering but dear: process, content and function in stereotyping of older persons. In Nelson, T. (Ed.), Ageism: Stereotyping and Prejudice against Older Persons, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1 -26.

Loreto, W. and White, P. (2006): Employers attitudes, practices and
policies towards older workers. Human Resource Management Journal,
16 (3), 313-30.

Nelson, T. D. (Ed.). (2004). Ageism: Stereotyping and prejudice against older persons. MIT press.

Nelson, T.D. (2002), Ageism: Stereotyping and Prejudice against Older
Persons, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.

Posthuma, R. A., & Campion, M. A. (2009). Age stereotypes in the workplace: Common stereotypes, moderators, and future research directions. Journal of management, 35(1), 158-188.

Rabl, T. (2010): Age, discrimination, and achievement motives: A study
of German employees. Personnel Review, 39 (4), 448-467.

Schmidt, D. F., & Boland, S. M. (1986). Structure of perceptions of older adults: Evidence for multiple stereotypes. Psychology and aging, 1(3), 255.

Toomey, E. C., & Rudolph, C. W. (2017). Age stereotypes in the workplace. Encyclopedia of geropsychology, 89-95.