Sensitizing Young Adults to Their Biases about Middle-Aged and Older Persons: A Pedagogical Approach

Abstract

In an undergraduate level course addressing adult development and aging, students were asked within the first week of class to examine and articulate their expectations of individuals of differing ages and genders. The students were asked to develop a comprehensive picture that described what life tasks, personality characteristics, personal goals, relationship issues, and work issues they expected would be important to each person. Students were also instructed to describe how they expected (based only upon their preexisting opinion and experience) such individuals would cope with issues related to health, identity, or work. Students were then asked to interview one person of each of the six age group/gender categories that they had previously described, comparing and contrasting interview findings with previously articulated expectations. Results suggested that students emerged from this experience with a more complex and open understanding of people who were not members of their own age group. The proportion of undergraduates whose expectations were not met increased (p < .05) in the middle-aged and older target groups relative to the young adult target group. It is argued that this experience helps students to not only be more sensitive to their own biases based upon age, but also to be more cognizant of individual differences among middle-aged and older adults.

Notes

Note: Frequencies for each observation/expectation are in parentheses. Following are quotes from male (M) and female (F) participants:

F – The man I interviewed was much more interested in a stable relationship than I expected.

F – I wrote that most men are stubborn and think they are the bearers of all knowledge. The man I interviewed was not like that.

F – What surprised me was the complexity and depth of this young man's thoughts and feelings.

F – I realized that I was right that many young men do not worry about their health.

M – John met my expectations because he put a great deal of value in family; he knew he could turn to them when he needed to.

M – This man met my expectation for having a positive outlook on life.

M – I was surprised that this young man was already going through a divorce.

Note: Frequencies for each observation/expectation are in parentheses. Following are quotes from male (M) and female (F) participants:

M – I correctly predicted that Randy would feel a great deal of stress to provide physical substance for his family.

M – In looking back, I found that I had painted a picture of a middle-age man who was older than he actually was.

M – I had put much more emphasis on retirement planning in my predictions than this man actually did. This man planned on working his entire life.

M – This woman adjusted to her nursing home situation much better than I would have thought.

F – My prediction that he enjoys his family now more than ever was realized.

F – Handsome men pursue beautiful women, or so I thought; but this man clearly values intrinsic over superficial qualities.

F – I was right that this man's children would be his primary concern in life.

Note: Frequencies for each observation/expectation are in parentheses. Following are quotes from male (M) and female (F) participants:

M – My only surprise was that he still worked as a financial analyst; I thought he would have been retired.

M – Surprisingly, Don didn't plan for retirement because he thought his pension would be enough. Now he has to depend on his children financially.

M – I was wrong in that I expected older men to be retired and have time on their hands with nothing to do. In fact, this man had a very busy schedule, and it was hard to even set up the interview.

F – Of all my interviews, Fred fit my expectations the closest.

F – Overall, Bill has created the retirement lifestyle he planned back in the 50s and is happy; however, he still worries a great deal about how to pay medical bills.

F – I had the hardest time interviewing older people. I thought they would be the easiest.

F – I had originally thought that older adults try to make up for their past regrets, but this did not seem to be the case.