Feelings towards Older vs. Younger Adults: Results from the European Social Survey

Taking a closer look at ageism: self- and other-directed ageist attitudes and discrimination

“…A recent study based on the European Social Survey has found that ageism is the most prevalent type of discrimination, reported by almost 35% of all participants over the age of 18 (Ayalon 2013). Sexism and racism represent relatively stable categories that do not vary across the life course.…”

The AGE model: Addressing ageism in the workplace through corporate social responsibility

“…Ageism is discrimination against a group of people because of their chronological age and includes prejudicial attitudes, discriminatory practices, institutional policies, and practices that perpetuate stereotypical beliefs (WHO, 2017) . As mentioned earlier, ageism might be more pervasive in the world today than racism or sexism (Ayalon, ; Banaji, ; Rupp et al, ; WHO, ). At the same time, it is also more difficult to detect (Levy & Banaji, ) and compared to other “isms” in society, appears to get a “free‐pass,” so‐to‐speak, because old age is something that everyone in the population has an equal chance of attaining (Nelson, ).…”

“…The retirement age would increase from 65 to 67 over a 22‐year period, with an 11‐year hiatus at which the retirement age will remain at 66. On the social side, ageism has become the most pervasive discrimination in society today, exceeding discrimination based on race or gender (Ayalon, ; Banaji, ; Rupp, Vodanovich, & Crede, ; WHO, ).…”

Agisem in the European Region: Finding from the European Social Survey

“…In general, respondents reported positive feelings towards older and younger age groups, however, these feelings do vary across Europe, with respondents in Turkey reporting the most negative feelings towards people in their 70s and respondents from Latvia and Finland reporting the most positive feelings. A difference score created by Ayalon (2013) indicated in general more positive feelings towards older than younger adults, with only three countries reporting more positive feelings towards younger (Turkey, Greece and Croatia), but an intraclass correlation coefficient of 2.3% revealed little cross-country variability. On the surface, this finding is inconsistent with the common assumption in the literature that older people are the foremost targets of ageism (see Nelson 2017).…”