Reference no: EM133536648

Question

Physical and mental health. Studies show that older adults who hold negative stereotypes tend to walk slowly, experience memory problems and recover less fully from a fall or fracture, among other ramifications. Negative stereotypes about older adults can have wide-ranging consequences. In medical settings, for example, stereotypes about cognitive decline might lead providers to withhold medical explanations or make decisions for patients without their input Expectations are surprisingly powerful. One experiment found that when older adults were exposed to subtle reminders of negative age- related stereotypes (such as being senile or frail) compared to positive ones (like being wise or spry), they expected to perform worse on cognitive and physical tasks assessing memory and balance. When the researchers measured actual performance on the tasks, they found that it reflected those expectations, with the group exposed to negative stereotypes performing worse-even though there was no objective difference in ability between the two groups. These results don't suggest that cognitive and physical function is all in our heads, though. No matter how positive our expectations, some obstacles are immovable, and accepting limitations can be a source of strength and resilience. By contrast, seniors whose view of aging is primarily positive live 7.5 years longer than other seniors. Rejecting stereo types decreases the chances of developing psychological problems such as PTSD or anxiety and protects against physical decline.