Subliminal Strengthening: Improving Older Individuals' Physical Function Over Time With an Implicit-Age-Stereotype Intervention

• Published in: Psychological science 2014-12, Vol.25 (12), p.2127-2135
• Main Authors: Levy, Becca R., Pilver, Corey, Chung, Pil H., Slade, Martin D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult. Elderly; Age; Age differences; Age groups; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Ageing; Aging; Aging - psychology; Assimilation; Attitude to Health; Biological and medical sciences; Cognitive models; Community; Control groups; Developmental psychology; Directing; Exercise; Exercise - psychology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health Behavior; Health Promotion - methods; Humans; Intervention; Male; Middle Aged; Older adults; Older people; Perceptions; Personality psychology; Physical ability; Physical activity; Physical fitness; Psychoeducational intervention; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Self Concept; Self perception; Social psychology; Stereotypes; Stereotyping; Subliminal perception; Subliminal Stimulation
• ISSN: 0956-7976; 1467-9280
• DOI: 10.1177/0956797614551970

Negative age stereotypes that older individuals assimilate from their culture predict detrimental outcomes, including worse physical function. We examined, for the first time, whether positive age stereotypes, presented subliminally across multiple sessions in the community, would lead to improved outcomes. Each of 100 older individuals (age = 61– 99 years, M = 81) was randomly assigned to an implicit-positive-age-stereotype-intervention group, an explicit-positive-age-stereotype-intervention group, a combined implicit- and explicit-positive-age-stereotype-intervention group, or a control group. Interventions occurred at four 1-week intervals. The implicit intervention strengthened positive age stereotypes, which strengthened positive self-perceptions of aging, which, in turn, improved physical function. The improvement in these outcomes continued for 3 weeks after the last intervention session. Further, negative age stereotypes and negative self-perceptions of aging were weakened. For all outcomes, the implicit intervention's impact was greater than the explicit intervention's impact. The physical-function effect of the implicit intervention surpassed a previous study's 6-month-exercise-intervention's effect with participants of similar ages. The current study's findings demonstrate the potential of directing implicit processes toward physical-function enhancement over time.