Intergenerational Contact, Attitudes, and Stereotypes of Adolescents and Older People

Abstract Contradictory findings characterize the literature on the efficacy of intergenerational programs that bring children and older persons together for joint activities to promote more positive attitudes and stereotypes. Nor is it clear whether cross-generational attitudes are negative to begin with. The research reported in this paper operationalized the constructs of attitudes and stereotypes by employing ideographic measures based on the attitude model of CitationFishbein and Ajzen (1975) and adopted the principles of the contact hypothesis in organizing a cross-age program. Sixty-three middle school adolescents (age 11–13) were randomly assigned to cross-age contact, didactic instruction, or control conditions for a 6-week program. Overall, adolescents and older persons held generally positive attitudes and stereotypes of each other. Relative to the control group, the contact group adolescents' attitudes toward older people became more positive. There was no change in the didactic group. Following contact, the older people showed more positive attitudes toward younger people and scored higher on a measure of life satisfaction. This article is based on a dissertation completed by the first author under the direction of the second author. The contributions of the members of the dissertation committee, Susan Kashubeck, Tim Melchert, and Susan Hendrick are gratefully acknowledged. Thanks are due to Gail Garber, Rosemary, Tom Belloti, Mary Worman, Marvin Cato, Terri Assenbacher, and Jason Cheadle for their invaluable assistance. Notes Note. Standard deviations in parentheses. Higher means indicate the more positive pole. Attitudes scores are the mean of five 7-point semantic differential items. Stereotype scores are belief strength multiplied by evaluation summed over 30 items. Note. Standard deviations in parentheses. Higher means indicate the more positive pole. Attitudes scores are the mean of five 7-point semantic differential items.