Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3G3, Canada.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2011 Nov;66(6):719-24. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbr063. Epub 2011 Jul 11.
Despite the rapid expansion of the antiaging cosmetic industry in recent years, little is known about the current social judgment consequences of concealing one's age. In two studies, we examined perceivers' evaluations and mental representations of individuals who engage in age concealment.
In Study 1, we assessed young and older adults' reactions toward a middle-aged or older adult target who engaged in mild or major forms of age concealment. In Study 2, we examined the social consequences of age concealment in greater detail by including younger middle-aged targets and expanding the range of concealment procedures used.
Targets received less favorable evaluations (a) to the extent that they engaged in invasive procedures, (b) when they were viewed by young adults rather than by older adults, and to some degree, (c) if they were middle-aged adults rather than older adults. Participants held different expectations concerning aging and age concealment depending on the age of the target and the antiaging technique used.
These findings suggest that reactions to age concealment vary according to the concealment technique used, the age of the perceiver, and to some extent, the age of the target.
尽管近年来抗衰老化妆品行业迅速扩张，但对于隐瞒年龄所带来的当前社会判断后果，我们知之甚少。在两项研究中，我们考察了知觉者对进行年龄隐瞒的个体的评价和心理表征。
在研究 1 中，我们评估了年轻和年长成年人对中年或老年目标对象进行轻度或重度年龄隐瞒的反应。在研究 2 中，我们通过纳入更年轻的中年目标对象并扩大所使用的隐瞒程序范围，更详细地考察了年龄隐瞒的社会后果。
目标对象受到的评价越不利：(a) 他们使用侵入性程序的程度越高，(b) 他们被年轻成年人而不是年长成年人观察到的程度越高，在某种程度上，(c) 如果他们是中年成年人而不是老年成年人。参与者根据目标对象的年龄和使用的抗衰老技术，对衰老和年龄隐瞒持有不同的期望。
这些发现表明，对年龄隐瞒的反应根据所使用的隐瞒技术、知觉者的年龄以及在某种程度上目标对象的年龄而有所不同。
