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Actual and widely assumed age-related work motivation changes are differentiated. Self-rated extrinsic motivation (compensation and recognition) of university alumni decreased as respondent age increased, while intrinsic motivation (challenge and task enjoyment) did not vary with age. As respondent age increased, ratings of older workers' intrinsic motivation increased, but older workers' perceived extrinsic motivation did not vary. Younger respondents (under 50) consistently rated themselves higher than older workers, while older respondents did so only on challenge and recognition motivation. Interventions to reduce age stereotypes should be directed at workers of all ages.
INTRODUCTION
Various trends have contributed to an increased presence of older workers in the work force. Among the most significant of the contributing factors are the aging of the large cohort of baby boomers, increasing life expectancy, and difficult economic times (Feldman & Turnley, 1995; Loi & Shultz, 2007; Pienta & Hayward, 2002; Purcell, 2009). As workers grow older, changes occur biologically and psychosocially that pose unforeseen and unique challenges for organizations. Traditional assumptions of work and workers often fail to incorporate an understanding of age-related changes on older workers and on the organizational policies and practices that affect them. While some research studies have focused on the reasons older workers continue to hold a job (e.g., Dendinger, Adams, & Jacobson, 2005; Higgs, Ferrie, Hyde, & Nazroo, 2003; Lord, 2002), this study investigated workers' motives as a function of age, as well as perceptions held of older workers (cf., Kanfer & Ackerman, 2004; Lang & Carstensen, 2002; Paynter, 2004).
Older Worker Stereotypes
With the growing number and percentage of older workers in the work force a fundamental issue for both organizations and older workers is the prevalence of negative stereotypes concerning older worker job performance and work-related motives (Posthuma & Campion, 2009). Cuddy and Fiske (2002, p. 4) defined stereotypes as "cognitive structures that store our beliefs and expectations about the characteristics of members of social groups", and stereotyping as "the process of applying stereotypic information". Stereotypes of older workers are reflective of the widespread societal stereotypes of older persons. According to Lawrence (1988), members of a social system develop age norms, which are widely shared judgments as to the expected ages of individuals holding each role or status. Whether accurate or not,...