AI Insight
This study examined ageism toward older adults during COVID-19 among 273 Australian residents aged 19-82 years. The research found that positive expectations about aging were associated with lower hostile ageism, while positive contact with older adults was linked to lower hostile ageism but higher benevolent ageism. Emotional coping during the pandemic showed no relationship with ageist beliefs, and the pattern of associations reversed for negative intergenerational contact.
Why it matters
The findings highlight that pandemic messaging emphasizing older adults' vulnerability may have reinforced paternalistic attitudes, suggesting that ageism-reduction strategies should focus on promoting quality intergenerational contact and challenging both hostile and patronizing stereotypes about aging.
Understand the Science
IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic brought substantial social and emotional stressors, alongside widespread messaging that framed older adults as particularly vulnerable. It remains unclear whether these conditions were associated with hostile and benevolent ageist perspectives of older people. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the factors associated with ageism, perceived changes in emotional coping, and the attitudes and experiences of Australian residents toward older adults.MethodsAgeism, aging expectations, and contact quality with older adults in the context of COVID-19 were explored using an online, cross-sectional correlational study design, participants responded to both established and novel measures for these factors.ResultsA total of 273 Australian residents completed the online study (aged 19–82 years, M = 40.73, SD = 14.74). There was no association between emotional coping and ageist beliefs. More positive aging expectations were related to lower hostile ageism, but not benevolent ageism. Positive contact with older adults was linked with lower hostile ageism and higher benevolent ageism, while negative contact showed the reverse pattern.ConclusionThe current study suggests that ageist messages portraying ‘vulnerability’ reflected commonly held attitudes toward older Australians during the pandemic and highlights the importance of considering both the quality and nature of intergenerational contact when developing ageism-reduction strategies. Potential explanations, limitations and directions for future research are discussed.