Why Is the Ceiling Silver? Uncovering the Role of Potential Appraisals in the Age–Promotion Relationship.
Saved in:
| Title: | Why Is the Ceiling Silver? Uncovering the Role of Potential Appraisals in the Age–Promotion Relationship. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | De Boeck, Giverny1 (AUTHOR) g.deboeck@ieseg.fr, Hamstra, Melvyn R. W.1 (AUTHOR), Dries, Nicky2,3 (AUTHOR), Brosi, Prisca4 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Personnel Psychology. Dec2025, Vol. 78 Issue 4, p658-676. 19p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Age, *Employee reviews, *Age discrimination, *Self-evaluation, Employee promotions, Age discrimination in employment, Heuristic, Stereotypes |
| Abstract: | In this research, we set out to uncover why silver ceilings exist in organizations. Drawing on systematic–heuristic processing theory and recent psychological findings, we propose that "older" workers (aged 45 or more) are less likely to receive promotions because these decisions are based on potential appraisals, which are susceptible to managers' heuristic (stereotypical) thinking. We test our hypotheses using two‐wave field data (Study 1) from a large financial organization and an experiment (Study 2) in which we manipulate age while holding all else equal. Both studies show that employee age has a negative effect on promotion likelihood and that this relationship is mediated by managers' potential appraisals. Moreover, Study 2 also provides evidence for our theoretical rationale showing that the central effect is driven by managers' heuristic processing and work‐related age stereotypes. Across both studies, our results provide consistent support for our hypothesis that appraisals of potential constitute a potent pathway via which managers' age stereotypes can affect promotion decisions in organizations. We discuss theoretical contributions to the literature on workplace aging, employee appraisals, and personnel decisions, and formulate practical recommendations to help organizations tackle silver ceilings in the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Personnel Psychology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 1 |
|---|---|
| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 189263923 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
| IllustrationInfo | |
| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Why Is the Ceiling Silver? Uncovering the Role of Potential Appraisals in the Age–Promotion Relationship. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22De+Boeck%2C+Giverny%22">De Boeck, Giverny</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> g.deboeck@ieseg.fr</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hamstra%2C+Melvyn+R%2E+W%2E%22">Hamstra, Melvyn R. W.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dries%2C+Nicky%22">Dries, Nicky</searchLink><relatesTo>2,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Brosi%2C+Prisca%22">Brosi, Prisca</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Personnel+Psychology%22">Personnel Psychology</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 78 Issue 4, p658-676. 19p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age%22">Age</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employee+reviews%22">Employee reviews</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+discrimination%22">Age discrimination</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-evaluation%22">Self-evaluation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Employee+promotions%22">Employee promotions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+discrimination+in+employment%22">Age discrimination in employment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Heuristic%22">Heuristic</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stereotypes%22">Stereotypes</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: In this research, we set out to uncover why silver ceilings exist in organizations. Drawing on systematic–heuristic processing theory and recent psychological findings, we propose that "older" workers (aged 45 or more) are less likely to receive promotions because these decisions are based on potential appraisals, which are susceptible to managers' heuristic (stereotypical) thinking. We test our hypotheses using two‐wave field data (Study 1) from a large financial organization and an experiment (Study 2) in which we manipulate age while holding all else equal. Both studies show that employee age has a negative effect on promotion likelihood and that this relationship is mediated by managers' potential appraisals. Moreover, Study 2 also provides evidence for our theoretical rationale showing that the central effect is driven by managers' heuristic processing and work‐related age stereotypes. Across both studies, our results provide consistent support for our hypothesis that appraisals of potential constitute a potent pathway via which managers' age stereotypes can affect promotion decisions in organizations. We discuss theoretical contributions to the literature on workplace aging, employee appraisals, and personnel decisions, and formulate practical recommendations to help organizations tackle silver ceilings in the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Personnel Psychology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=189263923 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1111/peps.12692 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 19 StartPage: 658 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Age Type: general – SubjectFull: Employee reviews Type: general – SubjectFull: Age discrimination Type: general – SubjectFull: Self-evaluation Type: general – SubjectFull: Employee promotions Type: general – SubjectFull: Age discrimination in employment Type: general – SubjectFull: Heuristic Type: general – SubjectFull: Stereotypes Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Why Is the Ceiling Silver? Uncovering the Role of Potential Appraisals in the Age–Promotion Relationship. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: De Boeck, Giverny – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hamstra, Melvyn R. W. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Dries, Nicky – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Brosi, Prisca IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 12 Text: Dec2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00315826 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 78 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Personnel Psychology Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
