REACTIONS TO STIGMAS - THE EFFECT OF TARGETS AGE AND CONTROLLABILITY OF STIGMAS

Reactions toward older adults have been widely researched, but the que stion of whether such reactions are due to age per se or due to the pr esence of other stigmas (e.g., physical disabilities) has received lit tle attention. This study was designed to investigate emotional reacti ons and willingness to help older versus younger adults who exhibited a wide range of stigmas, including AIDS, leg amputation, depression, a nd so on. Guided by attribution theory, the cause of the stigmas was f urther ascribed to either uncontrollable or controllable factors. Olde r adults evoked less anger than younger individuals, particularly in t he case of blindness, depression, leg amputation, lung cancer, and une mployment. Subjects were also more willing to help an older than a you nger amputee. Moreover, stigmas ascribed to uncontrollable factors gen erally produced less anger, more pity, and greater willingness to help than stigmas described as due to controllable causes. These results p rovide little support for the notion of ageism, at least within an age range of up to 65 years, but suggest that responses to older adults w ith stigmas may be subject to positive stereotyping.