How do face-to-face, extended and vicarious intergenerational contacts impact on young people's attitude and prosocial behaviour toward older people?

Abstract

Available evidence supports direct intergenerational contact in promoting positive attitude and prosocial behaviour of young people toward older people, thereby reduce ageism. Yet, studies investigating indirect intergenerational contacts and their associations with attitude and prosocial behaviour toward older people are limited, especially in Chinese societies. The objectives of the study were to examine attitude and prosocial intention of young Chinese people toward older people, and the respective roles of face-to-face, extended and vicarious intergenerational contact in influencing young people’s attitudes toward older people in Hong Kong. 467 participants responded to an online questionnaire regarding their intergenerational experiences, attitude and prosocial intention toward older people. Young people in this study reported positive attitude and prosocial intention toward older people. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that quality of face-to-face intergenerational contact had the strongest contribution to attitude toward older people, followed by vicarious intergenerational contact and female gender. Results found that the strengths of direct and indirect contact relationships differed in people having high and low levels of face-to-face contact frequency. The study has highlighted the importance of intergenerational integration where policymakers and organisations of different sectors should join efforts to taking an intergenerational lens to formulate policies and implement practices at family, institutional and societal levels.