Youngism: Discrimination and Stereotypes

Vojtĕch Bartoš, Michal Bauer, Jana Cahlíková, Julie Chytilová and Vojtech Bartos
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Vojtěch Bartoš

No 11421, CESifo Working Paper Series from CESifo

Abstract: Preferences and beliefs about different age groups shape social, political, and economic outcomes. This paper provides strong evidence of “youngism”, which refers to systematic bias in social preferences and unfavorable stereotypes against young adults. Among nationally representative samples from the United States and Czechia, we show that participants in both countries are substantially less pro-social in controlled allocation tasks towards young adults relative to other age groups. This preference bias is widespread, similar in size to discrimination against immigrants, and increases with age. Next, we show that young adults are perceived as more immoral, less helpful, less responsible, less hard-working, and enjoying easier lives than other age groups. Finally, we provide suggestive evidence that these unfavorable stereotypes about young adults feed into the preference bias.

Keywords: inter-generational conflict; social preferences; discrimination; stereotypes; youngism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C93 D64 D91 J14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp
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Working Paper: Youngism: Discrimination and Stereotypes (2024)
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