Title: Age Stereotypes: Core Determinants of Development in Old Age
Summary: Previous research on age stereotypes is characterized by several blind spots: It has focused (a) on stereotypes of old people, neglecting stereotypes of the young, (b) on general stereotypes, neglecting domain-specific views on aging, (c) on descriptive stereotypes, neglecting prescriptive age norms, and on (d) shared beliefs, neglecting individual and age-related differences in the endorsement of age stereotypes. Taking into account the complexities of age stereotypes and their differential endorsement allows us to gain a deeper understanding of their functions, acquisition, and implications for life span development. Recent studies from our lab support the view that age-related differences in the endorsement of age stereotypes mostly reflect internalization and projection processes. Age stereotypes serve the function of organizing development in accordance with a standardized life biography by specifying what is considered to be age-appropriate behavior, but they also limit developmental options by propagating rigid normative views of how old are and what they should and should not do.
Speaker Biography: Klaus Rothermund is a leading expert in aging research and life-span development, serving as Full Professor and Chair of General Psychology at the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany. A major focus of his research is on age stereotypes, and on how views on aging influence development in old age. For more than a decade, he has been the speaker of the international and interdisciplinary research consortium “Aging as Future”, addressing topics of internalization of age stereotypes, preparation for old age, and age discrimination. He has served as co-chair of the expert committee for the 9th Aging Report of the Federal Government of Germany, and wrote a review on ageism for the Anti-Discrimination Agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. He participated as work group chair for the European Cost Action “No-to-Ageism”. He is editor-in-chief for the journal Cognition & Emotion, and member of the editorial board of Psychology & Aging and Life Span Development and Mental Health.
This talk is in-person. A networking session with refreshments will follow the talk.
This research seminar is co-sponsored by the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging.
