Reducing cardiovascular stress with positive self-stereotypes of aging

We examined whether aging self-stereotypes, or older individuals' beliefs a bout elderly people, can influence cardiovascular function. Older individua ls were subliminally exposed to either positive or negative aging stereotyp es. Then all participants fared mathematical and verbal challenges. Those e xposed to the negative aging stereotypes demonstrated a heightened cardiova scular response to stress, measured by systolic blood pressure, diastolic b lood pressure, and heart rate, compared with those exposed to positive agin g stereotypes. The aging stereotypes appeared to influence the outcome vari able of skin conductance in the same way. It appears that the negative agin g: stereotypes acted as direct stressors, whereas the positive aging stereo types reduced cardiovascular stress. These findings indicate that negative aging stereotypes may contribute to adverse health outcomes in elderly pers ons without their awareness. The results also suggest that positive aging s tereotypes could be used in interventions to reduce cardiovascular stress.