Sense of Control and Self-stereotyping: The Role of Need for Structure

The current study involved two experiments that examined the relationships between lack of control, need for structure, and self-stereotyping in older adults. Specifically, Study 1 tested whether personal control can affect need for structure and aging self-stereotyping. The low level of control manipulated by the recall paradigm led to increase in the need for structure and negative self-stereotyping. Additionally, the need for structure mediated the effect of lack of control on negative self-stereotyping. Accordingly, we designed Study 2 to assess whether the effect of lack of control on self-stereotyping would disappear if older adults were given the opportunity to satisfy their increased need for structure in another way. Specifically, Study 2 included a structure affirmation task (a 30-piece animal puzzle) after the perceived control manipulation. The results not only were the same as Study 1 but also revealed that providing an alternative structure affirmation task could mitigate the negative effects of lack of control.