on the creation and cross-cultural validation of a scale

ON THE CREATION AND
CROSS-CULTURAL VALIDATION OF A SCALE
ON THE PERCEPTION OF AGEISM IN THE
WORKPLACE: FIRST FINDINGS
Martine Lagacé
Joelle Laplante
University of Ottawa
Valérian Boudjemadi
University of Strasbourg (Strasbourg, France)
Anna Rosa Donizzetti
University of Naples Frederico II (Naples, Italy)
Defining Ageism
•  Butler (1969): Similar to racism and sexism, ageism is
prejudice or discrimination against a category of people,
precisely older people;
•  Iversen, Larsen & Solem (2009) : negative or positive
stereotypes, prejudice and-or discrimination against (or to
the advantage of) elderly people on the basis of their
chronological age or on the basis of a perception of them
as being “old” or “elderly”;
•  North & Fiske (2013) : “subtyping ageism” : in the
workplace, ageism relies on tensions concerning
succession of desirable resources (envy vs. pity);
Few instruments aimed at measuring
ageism
•  1. I was told a joke that pokes fun at old people.
•  2. I was sent a birthday card that pokes fun at old
people.
•  3. I was ignored or not taken seriously because of
my age.
•  4. I was called an insulting name related to my
age.
•  5. I was patronized or “talked down to” because of
my age.
(The Ageism Survey, Palmore, 2001)
Nordic Age Discrimination Scale (NADS)
•  1. Elderly workers are passed over ⁄ left out in cases of promotion or internal
recruitment
•  2 Elderly workers do not have equal opportunities for training during work time
•  3 Younger workers are preferred when new equipments, activities or
•  working methods are introduced
•  4 Elderly workers less often take part in development appraisals with
•  their superior than younger workers
•  5 Elderly workers have less wage increase than younger workers
•  6 Elderly workers are not expected to take part in change processes and new working
methods to the same degree as their younger peers
(Furunes & Mykletun, 2010)
Beliefs about older worker’s scale
Hassell & Perrewe (1995)
•  1. I would receive the same consideration for training as a
younger worker.
• 
•  2. I personally have never experienced age discrimination in
my job.
• 
•  3. I have heard older workers in our company complain of age
discrimination.
•  4. Some of my coworkers offer to help me with my job when
it’s not necessary.
• 
•  5. My age prevents me from getting jobs for which I think I am
qualified.
• 
The importance of measuring ageism in
the workplace:
•  Levy (1996, 2000) and Levy, Ashman and Dior (1999) :
workplace discrimination decreases self-efficacy and
performance;
•  Lagacé, Tougas, Laplante & Neveu (2008, 2010):
perceptions of ageism increase psychological
disengagement, lowers self-esteem and increase
retirement intentions;
On the creation of a French / Canadian/
Italian scale
•  Scale was initially designed to measure “perceptions of
ageism in the workplace” (through communication
and work process) as a sole factor.
Creation of a scale: perceptions of ageism in the workplace
(Lagacé, Tougas, Laplante & Neveu (2008, 2010)
•  1. Mes patrons faisaient référence à mon âge de façon négative.
•  2. Mes collègues de travail faisaient référence à mon âge de façon négative.
•  3. Mes patrons m’envoyaient des cartes ou des cadeaux qui visaient à ridiculiser
mon âge.
•  4. Mes collègues de travail m’envoyaient des cartes ou des cadeaux qui visaient à
ridiculiser mon âge.
•  5. Mes patrons m’ignoraient en raison de mon âge.
•  6. Mes collègues m’ignoraient en raison de mon âge.
•  7. Mes patrons me traitaient de manière condescendante en raison de mon
âge.____
Creation of a scale: perceptions of ageism in the workplace
(Lagacé, Tougas, Laplante & Neveu (2008, 2010)
•  8. Mes collègues me traitaient de manière condescendante en raison de mon âge.
9. On m’a refusé une promotion en raison de mon âge.
•  10. On m’a refusé de la formation en raison de mon âge.
•  11. On m’a refusé un poste de supervision en raison de mon âge.
•  12. On m’a refusé un poste en raison de mon âge.
•  13. Mes patrons reconnaissaient la valeur de mon expérience comme travailleur
plus âgé.
•  14. Mes collègues reconnaissaient la valeur de mon expérience comme
travailleur plus âgé.
•  15. Au travail, on me disait qu’il était important d’avoir l’air jeune.
Creation of a scale: perceptions of ageism in the workplace
(Lagacé, Tougas, Laplante & Neveu (2008, 2010)
•  16. Au travail, on me traitait avec respect en raison de mon âge.
•  17. Au travail, les gens pensaient que je ne pouvais pas comprendre
ce qu’ils me disaient à cause de mon âge.
•  18. Au travail, les gens présumaient que je ne pouvais pas utiliser
facilement les nouvelles technologies.
•  19. Au travail, on m’a déjà dit : Tu es trop vieux (vieille) pour ça.
•  20. Au travail, les gens faisaient des blagues sur mon âge.
•  21. J’ai l’impression que mes supérieurs voulaient que je prenne ma
retraite.
•  22 J’étais exclu des processus décisionnels en raison de mon âge.
Validation of the scale: factorial structure?
•  1) Validation of items by experts
•  2) Back to back translation of scale items
•  3) Recruitment of participants
•  4) Administration of the questionnaire (Canada, France, Italy)
•  5) Analysis of data : Exploratory factor analysis
Example of Items (English Version)
•  1. My managers/supervisors refer to my age in a negative
way.
•  3. My managers/supervisors send me cards or presents
that make fun of my age.
•  9. I was denied a promotion because of my age.
•  22. I am excluded from the decision-making process
because of my age.
•  Totally disagree (1) ____________________________________Totally agree (7)
Example of Items (Italian Version)
•  I miei colleghi mi ignorano a causa della mia età.
•  Mi è stato negato un posto di lavoro a causa della mia età.
•  A lavoro mi è stato detto: Sei troppo vecchio per far questo.
Administration of questionnaire
•  Convergent Validity : Beliefs about older worker’s scale (Hassell & Perrewe, 1995)
•  Discriminant validity: Gender Perception Scale (Kaiser, Dyrenforth& Hagiwara, 2006).
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
In general, others respect my gender group.
I experience discrimination because of my gender.
My gender group is discriminated against.
I have been unfairly treated because of my gender.
Members of my gender group face a good deal of discrimination.
Administration of questionnaire
•  Discriminant validity: Cultural Perception Scale (Kaiser, Dyrenforth &
Hagiwara, 2006).
• 
•  In general, others respect my cultural group.
• 
•  I experience discrimination because of my cultural group.
• 
•  My cultural group is discriminated against.
• 
•  I have been unfairly treated because of my cultural group.
• 
•  Members of my cultural group face a good deal of discrimination.
• 
• 
Sample of participants
•  Participants were recruited among private and public
sectors
•  Criteria of inclusion: 45 years old (or above)
•  Canada:
•  France :
•  Italy:
n = 242
n = 298
n = 445
Data analysis and preliminary results
•  Item, 13, 14 and 16 were eliminated.
• 
•  Internal Consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha) : 0,86 – 0,95;
Exploratory Factor Analysis
Italy and Canada: scale is comprised of one factor: perceptions of ageism in
the workplace
Exploratory Factor Analysis
France : scale is comprised of four factors
Relationship with employer
Relationship with colleagues
Exclusion
Negative traits
Discussion
•  Ageism in the workplace as a uni dimensional or
multidimensional concept?
•  The cultural component
•  Limitations of the (Canadian) sample
•  Next step: collection of additional data
THANK YOU
•  Funding for this project was provided by SSHRC grant to
Martine Lagacé
•  For further information please contact:
[email protected]