| Author: | Kwong, Nga Lai |
| Title: | Effects of direct and indirect intergenerational contact on young people’s attitude, prosocial intention, and prosocial behaviour towards older people |
| Advisors: | Yan, Elsie (APSS) |
| Degree: | DHSc |
| Year: | 2021 |
| Subject: | Ageism Youth -- China -- Hong Kong -- Attitudes Intergenerational relations Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | Faculty of Health and Social Sciences |
| Pages: | x, 191 pages : illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Background. Ageism has become a serious threat and significantly impacts societies across the globe. Because of society's negative attitude and discrimination displayed towards older people, older people experience poor social relationships and receive unfair and unequal treatment, resulting in compromised physical and psychological health. Available evidence supports direct intergenerational contact in promoting positive attitudes and prosocial behaviours of young people towards older people, thereby reducing ageism. Yet, studies investigating the interplay of direct and indirect intergenerational contact and their associations with attitude and prosocial behaviour towards older people are scarce, especially in Chinese societies. Objectives. The objectives of the study were to examine: (a) the relationship between attitude, prosocial intention, and prosocial behaviour towards older people, (b) factors contributing to quality of intergenerational contact, and (c) the respective roles of face-to-face, extended, and vicarious intergenerational contact in influencing young people's attitudes towards older people. Methods. A cross-sectional study of 467 young Chinese people was conducted in Hong Kong. Participants, recruited through convenience and snowball sampling, responded to an online questionnaire regarding their direct and indirect intergenerational experiences, attitude and prosocial behaviour towards older people. Data analysis included reliability analyses, descriptive statistics, and correlation and regression analyses. Results. Young people in this study reported positive attitudes, prosocial intention, and prosocial behaviours towards older people. Results of hierarchical regression and Sobel test confirmed that the significant relationship between attitude and prosocial behaviour was mediated by prosocial intention towards older people. Socio-demographic variables, face-to-face contact frequency, medium of intergenerational communication and factors of intergenerational engagement were entered into the hierarchical regression analysis to evaluate factors contributing to quality of face-to-face intergenerational contact and attitude towards older people. Results showed that participants who perceived higher levels of equal status in face-to-face intergenerational contact and had more phone contact with older people they knew were more likely to report higher quality of face-to-face contact with older people. For factors contributing to attitude towards older people, quality of face-to-face intergenerational contact offered the strongest contribution, followed by vicarious intergenerational contact and female gender. Results also found that the strengths of direct and indirect contact relationships differed in people having higher and lower levels of face-to-face contact frequency. For young people having more face-to-face contact, quality of face-to-face intergenerational contact and vicarious intergenerational contact was correlated with better attitude towards older people. For young people having less or absent face-to-face contact, vicarious intergenerational contact was the strongest correlate of attitude towards older people, followed by the quality of face-to-face intergenerational contact and extended intergenerational contact. Implications. The study has highlighted the importance of synergistic efforts to respond to ageism in that governments, schools, private and community groups, and the media all have a part to play. Intergenerational integration is the key area in which policymakers and organisations of different sectors should combine their efforts to take an intergenerational lens to formulate new and innovative policies and implement practices at family, institutional, and societal levels. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6329.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 2.61 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
Copyright Undertaking
As a bona fide Library user, I declare that:
- I will abide by the rules and legal ordinances governing copyright regarding the use of the Database.
- I will use the Database for the purpose of my research or private study only and not for circulation or further reproduction or any other purpose.
- I agree to indemnify and hold the University harmless from and against any loss, damage, cost, liability or expenses arising from copyright infringement or unauthorized usage.
By downloading any item(s) listed above, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the copyright undertaking as stated above, and agree to be bound by all of its terms.
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
https://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/11847