Abstract

Older employees are not only confronted with subtle negative stereotypes about cognitive decline, but they also tend to internalize these negative stereotypes (i.e., they agree with the idea that intellectual performance declines in old age and they feel affected by this decline). Previous research has shown that internalizing negative age stereotypes has detrimental effects on work-related outcomes. Little is known about how internalized negative stereotypes shape older employees’ social emotions and social motivation. In the present research, we argue that older adults who internalize negative age stereotypes feel insecure about their belongingness in the workplace and this has negative motivational consequences. Four out of five studies and an aggregate analysis with a total of N = 1,306 older employees (age 50–76 years) supported this hypothesis. Internalized age stereotypes were negatively related to social approach motivation toward coworkers through reduced sense of belonging in the workplace and low positive affect. In addition, internalized age stereotypes were positively related to social avoidance motivation. Investigations of the causality of these relationships revealed mixed results. We discuss these findings from the perspective of socioemotional aging and the need to belong. In sum, the present research adds to knowledge on the role of internalized negative stereotypes for older employees’ social lives and, potentially, their success in the work domain.

中文翻译：

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感觉不合时宜：内部化的陈规定型观念与老员工的归属感和社会动机有关

摘要

年长的员工不仅面临着关于认知能力下降的微妙的负面刻板印象，而且还倾向于将这些负面刻板印象内化（即，他们同意智力表现在老年时期下降的想法，并感到受到这种下降的影响）。先前的研究表明，内化负面年龄定型会对工作相关的结果产生不利影响。对于内部化的负面刻板印象如何影响年长员工的社会情感和社会动机，人们所知甚少。在本研究中，我们认为，将负面的定型观念内在化的老年人对自己在工作场所的归属感不安全，这对动机产生负面影响。五分之四的研究和总计N的汇总分析= 1,306名年龄较大的员工（年龄在50-76岁之间）支持该假设。通过减少对工作场所的归属感和较低的积极影响，内化的年龄刻板印象与社会态度对同事的动机负相关。此外，内化的年龄刻板印象与社会回避动机成正相关。对这些关系的因果关系进行的调查显示了不同的结果。我们从社会情感老化和归属感的角度讨论这些发现。总而言之，本研究增加了关于内部消极刻板印象对老年员工的社交生活的作用的知识，并有可能使他们在工作领域取得成功。