Open-ended questions & interviews were used to elicit a list of reasons for the suicide of fictitious male & female victims, age 15, 40, & 60. From this list, a 45-item checklist was developed & administered to 232 respondents in a factorial design. Subjects were asked to respond to items concerning the fictitious victim of their own age & gender as well as to items for the other 2 age/gender cohorts. Results indicated high agreement among all respondents on the causes of suicide considered to be most likely for a given cohort, as well as a distinct differentation among cohorts & gender groups. Findings are discussed with reference to cultural stereotypes about the causes of suicide & how these shared beliefs may contribute to an individual’s decision to complete suicide. (41 refs.)