The Psychological Mechanism of Ageism among Korean Young and Middle Aged Adults: Age-based Social Identity and Aging Anxiety

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of age-based social identity and aging anxiety on ageism among Korean young and middle aged adults. The participants were young aged adults form 20 to 29 years (N=136) and middle aged adults from 50 to 64 years of age (N=158). Results from hierarchial multiple moderating regression analysis were as follows. First, the test of interaction showed that age group moderated the relationship between age-based social identity and ageism. The test of a conditional effect of age group showed that young aged adults who reported lower levels and middle age adults who reported higher levels of age-based social identity were associated with greater ageism. Third, the results from test of interaction showed that age group moderated the relationship between aging anxiety and ageism. The results from test of a conditional effect of age group showed that young and middle aged adults who reported greater aging anxiety were associated with greater ageism. These findings suggest that the cause of generational conflict in Korea is the difference in values and mechanisms for ageism among young and middle aged adults.