Stereotypes can harm performance of older adults on cognitive and physical tasks

A new study reports that when older people feel personally stigmatized by stereotypes of physical or cognitive deficiencies, they often fail to demonstrate their true abilities when tested. These stereotypes create a self-fulfilling prophecy, leading individuals to underperform compared to their actual capabilities. Aging stigma impacts cognitive and physical performance by reducing confidence and increasing stress due to negative perceptions.

This phenomenon underscores the damaging effects of stereotypes on older adults’ self-efficacy. It highlights the importance of addressing and combating age-related biases to ensure accurate assessment of their abilities and to promote fair and supportive testing environments.

According to Sarah Barber, older adults perform below their abilities on tasks when perceived as cognitively or physically impaired. She is a psychology and gerontology researcher at Georgia State University.

Barber said that stigmatized groups based on race, socioeconomic status, or age generally perform more poorly under negative stereotypes. She found expectations of others can play a strong role in how well older adults perform on cognitive tasks and motor skills such as driving.

Stereotypes and Stereotype Threat: Impact on Older Adults’ Performance and Well-Being

This phenomenon is known as “stereotype threat”. The concept was originally developed to look at stereotypes around race, but the effect turned out to be much broader. It can affect older adults by affecting their memory, physical performance, their driving abilities and even in job satisfaction.

Older adults frequently face stereotype threat at their physician’s office, where they go for checkups and sometimes take cognitive tests. Research shows 17% of those 50+ face stereotype threat at doctors, with 8% fearing negative age evaluations.

This can lead older people to underperform on cognitive tests, as the internalized stigma affects their test results. The impact of these stereotypes extends beyond testing, contributing to greater skepticism of physicians and increased dissatisfaction with healthcare services. When older adults perceive themselves as deficient, their trust in medical professionals diminishes, which can affect their engagement with healthcare.

Additionally, these negative perceptions can worsen both mental and physical health. The stress from feeling stigmatized may contribute to declining overall well-being and even increase rates of hypertension. Addressing these stereotypes is crucial to improving health outcomes and ensuring fair treatment for older individuals.

That can be damaging and actually lead to more forgetting.

In lab studies, stereotype threat can affect physical performance, leading to slower walking and weaker grip strength for older adults.

We need to ensure people feel confident and respected in their abilities, regardless of their performance outcomes.