Aging Knowledge and Age Bias in Psychology Trainees
Author Information
Author(s): Johnson Benjamin, Caskie Grace
Primary Institution: Lehigh University
Hypothesis
The relationship between aging knowledge and age bias varies across different knowledge domains for doctoral psychology trainees.
Conclusion
Doctoral psychology trainees have low aging knowledge, particularly in social aspects, and the relationship between their knowledge and age bias is complex and domain-specific.
Supporting Evidence
- On average, trainees answered 13 FAQ items correctly, indicating low aging knowledge.
- Trainees had more accurate aging knowledge in biological than psychological or social domains.
- Greater biological aging knowledge was positively correlated with more age bias.
- Greater psychological and social aging knowledge were negatively correlated with all age bias measures.
Takeaway
This study found that psychology students don't know much about aging, especially the social parts, and that knowing more about biology might actually make them more biased against older people.
Methodology
The study assessed aging knowledge using Palmore’s Facts on Aging Quiz and measured age bias with FSA, ASD, and AmbAS.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in self-reported knowledge and the focus on specific domains may overlook broader aspects of aging.
Limitations
The study may not generalize beyond doctoral psychology trainees and focuses primarily on knowledge rather than practical experience.
Participant Demographics
Participants were doctoral psychology trainees aged 21-30 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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