Issues related to prejudice and discrimination already solved?

Reduction of hostile and modern prejudices against older and handicapped people

Abstract

  While hostile prejudices against older/handicapped individuals persist, modern prejudices have emerged in recent years. Modern prejudices are beliefs that older/handicapped individuals should not complain about the status quo because issues of prejudice and discrimination have supposedly been resolved. In Study 1, we conducted an online survey on healthy adults other than older individuals, to assess the reliability and validity of a modern prejudice scale. Participants exhibiting more hostile and modern prejudices toward older/handicapped individuals were less supportive of policies to support them. In Study 2, an online educational intervention using the explanatory texts about hostile and modern prejudices was conducted with healthy adults other than older individuals. As a result, the experimental group that received the educational intervention had a lower modern prejudice and more endorsement of policies to support older/handicapped individuals than the control group. The reduction of such prejudices will contribute to the creation of a more inclusive society for all.