Ageism Test (AAS)
How deep do your 'benevolent' and 'hostile' attitudes toward older adults run?
Do you find yourself deciding things for older people? Or getting impatient with them? Ageism hides at both extremes: 'benevolent' ageism wears the costume of care — deciding for older adults, assuming they can't manage — while 'hostile' ageism is openly negative, casting older people as a burden or too sensitive. The AAS measures both. 13 items, about 4 minutes. A research scale, not a diagnostic tool.
The older adults you see — people to help, or 'a different kind of person'?
Ageism may be the most underrated prejudice in society — over 90% of older North American adults report experiencing it, yet few people take it seriously. It runs in two directions:
Benevolent ageism looks like care on the surface but assumes older people can't decide for themselves. 'It is good to tell old people they are too old to do certain things, otherwise they might get their feelings hurt' — it sounds considerate; the assumption underneath is that older adults lack the capacity to manage their own lives.
Hostile ageism is openly negative. 'Old people are too easily offended.' 'Old people are a drain on the health care system and the economy.' A whole generation reduced to a label.
The AAS (Ambivalent Ageism Scale), developed by Cary, Chasteen and Remedios (2017), measures both dimensions with 13 items. Development ran four stages — 41 items trimmed to 21, then to 13 — keeping 9 benevolent and 4 hostile items, with total reliability alpha=.91.
Reading your results
Read the two dimensions separately; that beats any single total:
- Low on both: no urge to manage older people's lives, no open negativity — you're more likely to treat older adults as individuals.
- High benevolent, low hostile: the most hidden form. You see yourself as kind, yet assume older people need managing — what the cared-for person often feels is not warmth but being talked down to.
- High on both: ambivalent prejudice, the 'both admire and dismiss' structure familiar from sexism.
- Low benevolent, high hostile: outright rejection, usually paired with little intergenerational contact.
A note
The AAS is a research self-report scale. It is not a clinical diagnosis and makes no judgement about anyone's character. Attitudes are shaped by culture, upbringing and intergenerational contact — the scores describe where you are now, not who you are.
About the test
- 13 items, 7-point scale (1=Strongly Disagree ~ 7=Strongly Agree)
- Two independent dimensions: Benevolent Ageism and Hostile Ageism.
Reliability and validity
- Total internal consistency alpha=.91; benevolent subscale alpha=.89; hostile subscale alpha=.84
- Test-retest reliability r=.80 (two weeks apart, across settings)
- Construct validity: four-stage development with a stable benevolent/hostile two-factor structure
Attitudes can change
Ageism is not innate — it is learned with culture, and it can recede through contact. Research consistently shows that intergenerational contact (equal, close contact) is the most reliable way to reduce hostile ageism.
This is a research scale. Results are for reference and do not constitute a diagnosis.
Result Interpretation
After completing the 13 questions, you'll receive an immediate, detailed report with:
- Your score — calculated automatically based on your responses
- Score interpretation — what your score means in practical terms
- Dimension breakdown — separate scores for each sub-scale
- Context — how your results compare to general population norms where available
All results are displayed on screen. No account or login needed.