Public discussions about ageism often focus on prejudice against older adults, with common stereotypes depicting them as slow, grumpy, and forgetful. However, recent research led by Wharton visiting scholar Stéphane Francioli reveals that the most negative views in society are actually directed toward young adults — a form of reverse ageism known as “youngism.”
In two large surveys of U.S. adults, Francioli, alongside co-authors Angela Shaker and Michael North, found that people hold more positive views of older adults than of younger ones, challenging the common belief that more mature people bear the brunt of age-related prejudice. The degree of bias against the young was large, similar to prejudice against other groups that face discrimination, such as Black Americans. In contrast, attitudinal patterns toward older adults tended to match those seen toward advantaged groups, such as white Americans.
“Society often assumes that ageism mainly targets older adults,” Francioli explained. “Meanwhile, youthfulness is typically associated with beauty, athleticism, and mental sharpness. Many people strive to appear and feel younger than they are.” Yet, the reality is more nuanced. Young adults — those aged 18 to 30 — often face condescension, stereotyping, and outright discrimination. This bias against the young tends to take a unique form. While ageism targeting older adults finds its roots in people’s discomfort with the process of aging and older age as a life stage, youngism stems from the perception that today’s young do not live up to the standards set by previous generations at the same age. However, research suggests that this perception is an illusion that has misled people for centuries, with documented examples stretching all the way back to Ancient Greece. In modern times, Baby Boomers complain about Millennials and Gen Z being lazy, entitled, and naïve when they themselves were stereotyped as indolent, self-righteous, and gullible “hippies” in their youth. When it comes to youngism, the victims of yesterday seem to become the perpetrators of today.
“People think that they can’t be accused of being prejudiced against the young, since they have been young themselves.”— Stéphane Francioli
Why Is Reverse Ageism So Overlooked and What Are the Consequences?
Francioli’s study also discusses why reverse ageism against young adults has been overlooked, even as discrimination against their forebears has come under the spotlight. According to Francioli, this oversight may not stem from ignorance but rather from a societal belief that ageism against the young isn’t a serious moral issue: “It seems that there is a form of moral licensing happening. Since everyone has been young at some point, it’s probably easier for people to justify their biases against today’s young without feeling guilty or questioning their views. People think that they can’t be accused of being prejudiced against the young, since they have been young themselves,” Francioli noted.
However, these negative beliefs about the young are not without consequences. Francioli highlighted the frustrations of younger generations, too, as exemplified by the “OK Boomer” movement, which reflects the tension between young people and older generations, particularly over economic issues and climate change. “Young adults are seen as the future of society, but their own future looks bleak,” Francioli said. In the U.S., young people face rising housing costs, enormous student debt, and lower incomes. These issues have contributed to the largest wealth gap between generations in history. What’s more, they will inherit the environmental damage caused by previous generations’ excesses.
Yet, Francioli’s work suggests that negative perceptions of young adults make it harder to find solutions to these problems. Older adults, who expressed stronger negative feelings toward young people, may be less likely to support policies addressing student debt and other critical issues affecting the young. “Real change depends on older generations, who hold most of the political and economic power to make it happen,” Francioli noted, “but if you believe that young people are lazy, it’s easy to rationalize why they earn less than previous generations at the same age, and overlook the real economic challenges they face, like student debt, economic recessions, and the rising cost of living and housing.”
“Real change depends on older generations, who hold most of the political and economic power to make it happen.” –Stéphane Francioli
Has Ageism Against Older People Shifted Over Time?
While past research has uncovered ageism against older adults, Francioli’s findings reveal that Americans see them in a rather favorable light. These views may have shifted over time, which might be attributable to improvements in the lives of older people — who are healthier, more independent, and more active than previous generations. “Some recent studies suggest that societal views of older adults may have become less negative over the last 50 years,” he said.
Francioli also pointed out that differences in research methods could explain the divergence between his findings and traditional ageism studies. Many of these past studies use undergraduate participants, who tend to be younger and more liberal, leading to an underestimation of society’s negative views of the young and favorable views of older adults.
Ultimately, his research stresses the need to address discrimination across all age groups rather than creating competition over who suffers more. “While young people may face more negative attitudes today, ageism is still a serious issue for older generations,” he said. “As our world ages and resources need to be shared across generations, we must understand age bias fully to create policies that support all age groups, and keep society united.”
