Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40552868›Full record

ArticleGerontology2025

Normative Beliefs for Older Adults and Volunteering Intentions.

Maria Wirth, Clara de Paula Couto, Helene Hoi-Lam Fung, Maria Konstantinovna Pavlova, Klaus Rothermund

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Gerontology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Maria WirthDepartment of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
Clara de Paula CoutoDepartment of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
Helene Hoi-Lam FungDepartment of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Maria Konstantinovna PavlovaInstitute of Gerontology, University of Vechta, Vechta, Germany.
Klaus RothermundDepartment of Psychology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe idea that older adults should contribute to the common good has become a social normative belief (i.e., social activation). Younger and - even more so - older adults prescribe social activation to the group of older adults. Older adults are assumed to behave in line with what is socially expected of them. However, previous studies did not establish a link between the old-age norm of social activation and older adults' social engagement. Following the reasoning of stereotype embodiment theory, we investigated the role of self-endorsement of social activation for older adults' social engagement (i.e., formal volunteering).

methodsWe conducted two preregistered experiments in which older participants (60-90 years, N = 1,463) reflected on agreeing or disagreeing with the norm of social activation. We then assessed endorsement of social activation and intention to engage in formal volunteering.

resultsReplicating our previous studies, participants who reflected on agreement with the norm of social activation reported higher endorsement of this norm compared to participants who reflected on disagreement. Endorsing the norm of social activation for (other) older adults translated into endorsing social activation for oneself (internalization). Furthermore, reflecting on agreement with social activation was indirectly related to volunteering intention via endorsement of self-related social activation (embodiment).

conclusionOur findings elucidate the role of societal normative beliefs for older adults' behavior and offer insights into the discourse on the continued social participation of older adults.

Indexed as

AgingIntentionSocial NormsVolunteersAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedActive agingAgeismPrescriptive views of agingVolunteering

Identifiers

PMID40552868
PMCPMC12037153

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.