Aging sexual stereotypes and sexual expression in mid- and later life: examining the stereotype matching effect

Objectives: Ageist sexual stereotypes may prohibit midlife and older adults from achieving sexual wellness when stereotypical beliefs about aging, sex, and intimacy become internalized over the life course (i.e. stereotype embodiment). Though there are several studies examining the application of stereotype embodiment theory to various health behaviors, it has not been applied to sexual and intimate health across the life course. The current study examined sexual stereotype embodiment by assessing the impact of aging-sexual-stigma on sexual and intimate activity among midlife and older adults. Method: In this cross sectional study, a convenience sample of 972 adults aged 50 and older was recruited via a crowdsourcing platform. Participants completed an online survey assessing attitudes about aging sexuality and their participation in a spectrum of sexual and intimate behaviors. Hierarchical linear regression was used to examine the study hypotheses related to sexual and intimate behaviors among middle age and older adults. Results: Results of this exploratory study suggest that embodiment of sexual stereotypes effects both midlife and older adults, with endorsement of aging sexual stigma predicting lower engagement in both sexual and intimate activities. Sexual embodiment had similar effects across age cohort and gender. Conclusion: In addition to pervasive societal impact, ageist sexual stereotypes appear to affect individual sexual health and wellness via internalized beliefs. This provides preliminary evidence for stereotype embodiment in a novel domain, sexual health. Future research should explore potential age and cohort effects across the life course in longitudinal studies with robust measures of aging sexual stigma.