Data from: When feeling younger depends on others: the effects of social cues on older consumers

How do social cues in the immediate environment affect older consumers’
tendency to feel younger? And what is the impact of this tendency on
consumption? This research investigates the malleability of older
consumers’ feel-age and the underlying mechanisms by focusing on the
influence of contextual social cues and the downstream effects on
consumption behavior. Five experiments provide evidence that the mere
presence of young social cues triggers an identity threat for older
consumers; and feeling younger is a way to protect the self from negative
stereotypes associated with aging. By contrast, young consumers are
relatively immune to age-related social cues. Whereas the presence of
young social cues magnifies older consumers’ tendency to feel younger,
this effect is attenuated when the young social cues are less desirable or
when the older consumers possess higher self-esteem. The greater tendency
to feel younger in the presence of young social cues increases older
consumers’ choice of contemporary over traditional products, especially
among those with lower self-esteem. Theoretical insights and practical
implications are discussed.