Mind your age: conceptualizing and measuring workplace age microaggressions

Microaggressions are subtle verbal or behavioral expressions of implicit stereotypes. Despite growing scholarly interest, there is still much to be understood about their conceptualization and nomological network, and limited research looking at age and at work-relevant contextual antecedents. In response to this, this work has the following aims: to (1) identify blind spots in microaggressions’ literature, by reviewing their measurement and empirical findings, (2) develop a psychometrically sound measure of perceived workplace age-related microaggressions; (3) assess its impact on work- and organizational- relevant outcomes and relationship with climate; and (4) assess workplace-relevant personal and contextual antecedents. Four studies were conducted. Study 1 (Chapter 5) synthetized the available literature on microaggressions, leveraging the identified blind spots with a roadmap for future theoretical and empirical development. Study 2 (Chapter 6) examined the relationship between age-related microaggressions, climate, and outcomes such as justice and OCBs. Using social exchange theory, results showed the cascading effect of microaggressions through climate. Building on these findings, Study 3 (Chapter 7) developed and validated the Workplace Age Microaggressions Scale (WAMS). Based on Cadiz et al. (2022) recommendations, I used the Attraction–Selection–Attrition framework to demonstrate the WAMS internal consistency and factorial, convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity in predicting the theorized outcomes. Additionally, Study 3 showed the importance of work-relevant antecedents on microaggressions’ perception, such as inclusive HR practices and quality of intergenerational contact. Upon this, Chapter 8 brings preliminary results from Study 4, a pilot vignette study examining the impact of perpetrators’ age (i.e., younger or older) and role (i.e., peer or supervisor) on microaggressions’ perceptions. In summary, this dissertation contributes to understanding microaggressions against workplace subtle age discrimination literature and to their measurement. I conclude with suggestions for future research and implications for policy and organizational practice.