[Effects of category label activation about the elderly]

Psicothema. 2012;24(3):352-7.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

The present research focuses on the study of behavioral effects of non-conscious activation of categories among outgroup (young people) and ingroup members (elderly people). Specifically, non-conscious activation of labels that designate the same group, but with different valence (old vs. elderly), showed an effect on a behavior not directly related to interaction with elderly. The first study with young individuals (N= 62) shows that, after non-conscious activation of a negative label (old), participants displayed longer RTs in the first phase of the task than in the case of positive label (elderly) priming. The second study (N= 40), performed with elderly people, shows a similar result, after non-conscious activation of a negative label (old), elderly people showed longer RTs in the first phase of the task, compared with the group in the non-conscious positive label activation condition. Results concerning the theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • English Abstract
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged / psychology*
  • Ageism*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology*
  • Random Allocation
  • Reaction Time / physiology*
  • Social Perception*
  • Stereotyping*
  • Subliminal Stimulation
  • Terminology as Topic*
  • Young Adult