Abstract
One way to reduce a form of bias is to first understand the norms concerning its acceptability and then work to change those norms. In this study we investigated the perceived acceptability of benevolent and hostile ageist behaviors and whether acceptability varied depending on the age of the perceiver and the relationship between the person engaging in the ageist behavior and the recipient of the ageist behavior. Young, middle-aged, and older adult participants rated the acceptability of 13 benevolent and 17 hostile ageist behaviors for five different relationship types: younger family members, same-age family members, familiar service workers, unfamiliar service workers, and friends. Perceptions of acceptability differed as a function of participant age, ageism type, and relationship type. Personal experiences of ageism predicted perceptions of acceptability. People of different ages have different perceptions of the acceptability of ageist actions. This may lead to miscommunication in both personal and professional interactions.