"I'm not what you think I am": The power of threat and challenge responses to negative age-based meta-stereotypes on thriving at work and spillover effect

• Autor(a) principal: Oliveira, Sara Raquel Alves de
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10071/26775
• topic: Ageism; Age-based meta-stereotypes; Reactions to age-based meta-stereotypes; Thriving at work; Negative spillover; Daily diary studies; Idadismo; Meta-estereótipos etários; Reações a meta-estereótipos etários; Spillover negativo

Age diversity in the workplace is no longer an option or an ethical duty, but necessary for the economic functioning of societies. However, age-based negative attitudes (ageism) persist, with important consequences. This research is composed of two studies with distinct but related objectives. Study 1 aimed to identify, in a Portuguese sample (N=123), which age-based stereotypes are most associated with each age group. A reluctance to attribute negative stereotypes to both younger and older people was observed. Study 2 aimed to assess work-related consequences of ageism for the target, namely the relationship between the activation of age-based threat and challenge responses at work on thriving at work and negative spillover, through the longitudinal intensive daily diary methodology. Data were collected during seven workdays via participants' cellphones (N=44, 301 observations). Although no variation across time was found, hindering multilevel longitudinal analyses, a negative association between threat response and thriving at work was found, and a positive association with negative spillover. Additional analyses showcased value in considering thriving dimensions (learning and vitality) separately. Challenge was not a predictor of either thriving or spillover unlike expected. Although preliminary and limited, the findings of the study can serve as a guide for future studies, and for organizations to rethink the benefits of diversity and design more age-inclusive processes. Overall, it aims to bring awareness to the topic of workplace ageism and its potential harmful effects both at work and outside.