AGE STEREOTYPING AMONG COLLEGE-STUDENTS - A REPLICATION AND EXPANSION

The purpose of this study was to determine whether age stereotyping co uld be identified among a population of 490 undergraduate students. We used the innovative methodology created by Levin (1988), with one sig nificant difference: We used female stimulus figures to elicit subject s' responses, in contrast to Levin's use of males. In his study, Levin found evidence that indicated a ''strong and consistent'' degree of a ge stereotyping among undergraduates. On the basis of the Literature a nd Levin's findings, we hypothesized that our undergraduates would eva luate young and middle-aged stimulus persons more positively than on o lder stimulus person. The data forced the rejection of this hypothesis , however. In fact, the subjects rated the older stimulus person more positively than either of the younger stimulus persons on 8 out of 17 attitude items. Possible explanations for this finding are provided.