LingVo.club
📖+10 XP
🎧+10 XP
✅+15 XP
Older people are less likely to think in zero-sum terms — Level A1 — a couple of people sitting on top of a wooden bench

Older people are less likely to think in zero-sum termsCEFR A1

30 Dec 2025

LevelA1
A2
B1
B2

Adapted from U. Chicago, Futurity • CC BY 4.0

Photo by mohammad majid, Unsplash

Level A1 – Beginner
2 min
76 words
  • People often think some situations are zero-sum and fixed.
  • Zero-sum means one person wins and someone else loses.
  • Older people have fewer zero-sum beliefs than younger people.
  • Young people more often see win-lose outcomes in life.
  • This belief can change choices at work and politics.
  • Surveys and experiments show the same age pattern clearly.
  • Teaching and practice help people think about cooperation more.
  • Time and experience reduce zero-sum thinking over years.

Difficult words

  • zero-sum — a situation where one person wins, one loses
  • belief — an idea a person accepts as true
    beliefs
  • cooperation — working together with other people
  • survey — a study that asks people questions
    Surveys
  • experiment — a test to find what happens
    experiments
  • experience — knowledge from living or doing things

Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.

Discussion questions

  • Do you like to work with other people?
  • Where did you learn to cooperate?
  • Do you think people change ideas as they get older?

Related articles

Ageism in Families — Level A1
2 Dec 2025

Ageism in Families

New NYU research describes how adults treat older parents and relatives. The study explains family stereotypes, harm to older adults, and practical steps families can take to reduce ageist behavior and support older relatives.

Level
A1
A2
B1
B2
Read