Scientists have discovered: character changes with age in unexpected ways

With age comes wisdom: elderly people less frequently see life as a "winner takes all" game. A study by the universities of Chicago and Tel Aviv revealed interesting age-related thinking patterns, reports the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.

"Zero-sum" thinking—when people perceive situations as if someone's gain necessarily means someone else's loss—is natural for sports competitions or political elections. However, scientists discovered that many erroneously apply this logic to areas where universal gain is possible—in education, economics, and professional relationships.

The research revealed a stark contrast: the older generation is much less likely to think in "win-lose" terms. Elderly people more often view resources as replenishable and life situations as potentially beneficial for all parties. A concerning discovery was the fact that today's young people demonstrate more pronounced zero-sum thinking than their peers from past generations.

During four experiments involving nearly 2,500 people from age groups 18-30 and 65-80 years, participants were asked to evaluate statements like "if someone becomes rich, it means someone else necessarily becomes poorer." Young respondents significantly more often supported such judgments.

Even in experimental scenarios where competition was absent—for example, in a company where bonuses were given for achieving specific indicators rather than for superiority over colleagues—young participants still interpreted the situation as a "who beats whom" contest.

According to scientists, the perception of resource scarcity plays a key role. The young generation is growing up in conditions of fierce competition for education, employment, and housing, which intensifies the feeling of limited goods. Elderly people, relying on life experience, more often understand that many advantages manifest over time and can be mutual.

"If a person now tends to think in terms of 'win-lose,' this is likely to change over time. Perhaps it's worth consulting with elders more often—they can offer a completely different perspective on the situation," the researchers noted.

In their opinion, understanding this age effect is important not only for psychology but also for education, politics, and economics, where the ability to see opportunities for "win-win" can play a key role.