Contents of stereotypes toward elder subgroups and ageism in different age groups

In this study, it was aimed to examine the stereotype contents of the elderly subgroups within the framework of the stereotype content model, to reveal the relations of stereotype contents and social structural variables with ambivalent ageism and normative ageism, and to describe the perceived age discrimination, age group identification and ageism (ambivalent and prescriptive) relations in different age groups (young, young adult, middle aged, and old). In the first stage of the study, 104 participants were reached and eighteen elderly subgroups were determined. In the second stage of the study, the participants (N=642) were asked to evaluate these eighteen subgroups in terms of competence, warmth, status and competitiveness. Additionally, ageism (ambivalent and prescriptive), perceived age discrimination and age group identification levels of the participants were measured. The results indicated that these eighteen subgroups took place in five clusters in terms of competence and warmth dimensions, and ambivalent stereotypes were particularly directed to the thirteen subgroups. While there was a significant relationship between the competence of the elderly subgroups and their perceived status, there was no significant relationship between the warmth of the elderly subgroups and their perceived competitiveness. It has also been observed that the relationships between perceived age discrimination, age group identification and ageism differ in different age groups. The relationships between stereotype contents and socio-structural variables, and the relationships among perceived age discrimination, age group identification and ageism are discussed in the context of the relevant literature.