The purpose of this study is to analyze workplace ageism as a dynamic interplay between cognitions, affections, and behaviour.
The study draws on survey and vignette data collected from a representative sample of Danish employers and employs cross-tabulations and logistic regression analyses, including interaction terms (e.g. cognition × affection).
A key finding is that neither negative stereotypes nor affective preferences independently influence hiring behaviour, whereas their interaction – specifically, the combination of negative cognitive evaluations and affective biases – significantly increases the likelihood of exclusionary practices.
The study departs from most existing research on discriminatory practices, in which the cognitive and affective dimensions that condition behaviour are typically treated as black boxes.
