Café Connections: Investigating Factors Motivating Older Adults to Seek or Avoid Intergenerational Contact

Int J Aging Hum Dev. 2024 Dec 5:914150241301032. doi: 10.1177/00914150241301032. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Creating interaction opportunities between people of different ages can reduce ageism and increase solidarity. However, spatial age segregation persists due to a lack of age-inclusive public spaces. We explored factors motivating older adults to seek/avoid contact with younger adults in regular neighborhood coffeeshops primarily frequented by younger customers. Semi-structured interviews in Study 1 (N = 12) revealed that older adults perceived age-related exclusivity in "young" spaces like coffeeshops, were hindered from visiting by metastereotypes and discrimination, but were motivated by perceived learning opportunities. Studies 2 (N = 107) and 3 (N = 218) employed questionnaires and tracked coffee vouchers, showing that participants with stronger learning goals and more positive metastereotypes showed greater intention to seek contact. However, only the higher-powered Study 3 revealed the importance of frequent intergenerational contact and learning goals for initiating contact in real-life. The discussion highlights implications for creating more age-inclusive spaces to foster intergenerational interaction.

Keywords: age groups; ageism; behavior; contact; stereotypes.