Factors and moderators of ageism: An analysis using data from 55 countries in the World Values Survey Wave 6

TL;DR

This study analyzes global data to identify factors influencing ageism and how social attitudes and trust levels moderate these effects, with a focus on Japan's unique aging context.

Contribution

It identifies key demographic and psychological factors associated with ageism and highlights the moderating role of social trust and altruism across diverse countries.

Findings

Stereotypes, hunger for recognition, and male chauvinism increase ageism.

Altruism and trust within and outside families moderate ageism relationships.

Japan's data shows moderation effects are influenced by its high aging rate.

Abstract

Today, as the aging of the world accelerates, it is an urgent task to clarify factors that prevent ageism. In this study, using hierarchical multiple regression analysis of data from 40,869 people from 55 countries collected in the World Values Survey Wave 6, we showed that after controlling for demographic factors, stereotypes, a hungry spirit, and male chauvinism are related to ageism, and that altruism, trust within and outside the family, and trust in competition moderate the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. Furthermore, data from Japan, which has the highest aging rate and aging speed in the world, showed that these moderation relationships are moderated.