On the interactive effects of objective and subjective age on work outcomes for men and women

Abstract

Based upon theory on successful aging at work and the social identity of age, we hypothesized interactive effects of sex, objective chronological age, and subjective psychological/organizational age on age-based stereotype ratings of older workers, psychological well-being including both burnout and self-esteem, and behavioral self-reports of perceived unfair age and sex discrimination. Study hypotheses were tested using a survey-based sample of N = 1,583 workers from 3 countries, including Turkey, the United States, and Malaysia, and who were employed across a variety of occupations. Potential confounds resultant of socioeconomic status (education level), and the macro environment (country) were statistically controlled. Results generally found support for theoretically expected relations between age and work outcomes. Both psychological and organizational age interacted with chronological age such that different patterns of outcomes were found for men and women. Overall, although older subjective age benefited chronologically older workers, these interactive associations were less beneficial for older women as compared to older men. Implications of study findings for theory and practice are discussed.