Dimensions of Work-Related Age Stereotypes and In-Group Favoritism

Abstract

Age stereotypes in the context of work take effect in management decisions and leadership behavior. We aimed to comprehensively measure main dimensions of work-related age stereotypes, namely, performance, adaptability, reliability, and warmth, and explored how they vary across age groups, thereby testing predictions of social identity theory and associations with social contact. Three hundred and eighty German nurses aged between 19 and 63 years participated in this study. Older nurses were seen as more competent, less physically strong, and less adaptable, whereas younger nurses were seen as less reliable and less warm. In-group bolstering was observed for both age groups, however, much stronger for older professionals. Besides age, contact quality, the number of very close older colleagues, the perception of aging, and the perception of older people in general were associated with age stereotypes about older nurses. We conclude with a discussion of measures to reduce age stereotypes at work.