Pierce Seniors’ Willful Ignorance Shields

Researchers at Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Freie Universität Berlin introduce their study about deliberate ignorance by recounting reports of respected experts choosing not to know facts directly relevant to their area of expertise. For instance, James Watson, who was instrumental in discovering the structure of DNA, declined to find out if he had the gene which creates a major risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
     The researchers note a commonality among people in their examples is they were not young experts. So as we age, do we become more likely to engage in willful shielding from potentially unsettling information? they asked. Their subsequent study of 1,910 adults ages 21 to 99 years indicates the answer to that question is yes.
     Some of the scenarios presented to the study sample were hypothetical, such as, “Suppose science will soon be able to determine conclusively whether a god-like entity does or does not exist. Would you want to know or would you prefer not to know?” Others were realistic, such as, “Suppose you are interested in art and have bought an expensive antique statue. Its authenticity was confirmed when you bought it. A friend of yours is a respected expert on ancient art. She offers to examine the statue to determine whether it is truly authentic or not. Would you want to know or would you prefer not to know?”
     The pattern of willingness to know across the items was similar across the age range. Certain items aroused more or aroused less preferred ignorance regardless of the respondent’s age. But overall, the older participants were more likely to defer.
     The explanation is that ambiguity protects against needing to live with fear of a future where no escape options are available or regrets about a past where the option chosen was a major mistake. Seniors have a marked positivity bias. Consequently, the shield thickens as we enter our advanced years. The implication is that even if the senior is confronted with negative information without them being given a choice to get it, they’ll avoid mentally and emotionally acknowledging it.
     There are circumstances in which it’s important for a senior to have certain information in order to make an informed decision. In such instances, you might choose to pierce a shield of willful ignorance by presenting the information with sensitivity, but persistently. Also, equip the senior to handle the news. Here, education can empower.

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