Older adults’ lay theories of abilities predict their willingness to engage in preventive health behaviors

Abstract

ObjectivesThe present studies examined the linkages between older adults’ lay theories regarding the modifiability of abilities and their intentions to perform preventive health behaviors. The ‘entity theory’ refers to the belief that traits are fixed. The ‘incremental theory’ is the belief that traits are malleable. We hypothesized that older adults who held a stronger incremental theory would perceive more benefits to health behaviors, which in turn would lead to higher intentions to perform those behaviors. MethodData from two independent, cross-sectional studies were analyzed via mediation analyses (Study 1: n = 147, Mean age = 68.62, SD = 5.40; Study 2: n = 152, Mean age = 70.56, SD = 4.98). Data were collected via an online survey and/or during an in-lab session at the university. Community-dwelling older adults completed, among other measures, a questionnaire assessing their lay theories of abilities. Participants also reported their perceptions of the benefits of different health behaviors for slowing the effects of aging, and their intentions to engage in those behaviors. ResultsIn both samples, the more older people believed that abilities are changeable (i.e., endorsed the incremental theory), the more they perceived the benefits of preventive health behaviors (Study 1: b = .22, p = .005; Study 2: b = .11, p = .03), which in turn predicted greater intention to perform such behaviors (Study 1: b = .74, p < .001; Study 2: b = .36, p < .001). DiscussionThese results suggest that entity beliefs may discourage older people from adopting health behaviors.