3. Age discrimination

Ageism is a prevalent form of prejudice, still more socially accepted than other “isms” (e.g., racism or sexism). It can be defined as negative or positive stereotypes, prejudice, or discrimination against others, on the basis of categorizing them as too old or too young. In the workplace, ageism has prejudicial effects for both individuals and organizations. In this chapter we present the main conceptual approaches used to understand ageism, including stereotypes, direct and indirect discrimination, subtle and blatant discrimination, and age normativity. We end by presenting key research findings in the field of ageism against older and younger workers.