Psyc 339 Ch. 1

What are your views? Please write down the first words or phrases that come to mind when you think of someone who is over the age of 65.

Demographics of Canada David Foot: Boom, Bust & Echo

What are your views? Please write down the first words or phrases that come to mind when you think of someone who is over the age of 65. Please write down the first words or phrases that come to mind when you think of someone who is between the ages of 18 and 30.

What is a stereotype? A generalization about a group of people in which identical characteristics are assigned to virtually all members of the group, regardless of actual variation among the members (Aronson et al., 2000).

Where do stereotypes originate? Family and friends

Where do stereotypes originate? Family and friends School (Ekstrom et al., 1976) Youth Beauty Life Age _____ Death

Media advertising

Media advertising television

Media advertising television movies

Media advertising television movies greeting cards Age specific paper birthday cards 67% represent aging in a –ve manner (Ellis & Morrison, 2005)

Documented Age-Related Stereotypes Multiple Stereotypes

Younger Adults Stereotypes of Older Adults 3 positive; 5 negative (Hummert, 1994) Positive golden ager perfect grandparent John Wayne conservative

Younger Adults Stereotypes of Older Adults (cont’d) Negative stereotypes shrew/curmudgeon despondent vulnerable severely impaired recluse

Consequences of Negative Stereotypes Prejudice - evaluation

Consequences of Negative Stereotypes Prejudice - evaluation Discrimination - action

Consequences of Negative Stereotypes Prejudice - evaluation Discrimination - action Ageism (Butler, 1969)

The Most Common Types of Ageism (Palmore, 2001) Told an ageist joke “You’re too old” Ailments caused by age Patronized Assumed I could not hear Assumed I could not understand Ageist birthday cards Ignored/not taken seriously Not treated with dignity or respect Called an insulting name Rejected as unattractive

Improving attitudes Intergenerational interactions contact theory

Improving attitudes Intergenerational interactions contact theory (Allport, 1954) mentoring programs

Improving attitudes Increase intergenerational interactions contact theory (Allport, 1954) mentoring programs intergenerational shared site programs nursing home/childcare adult day service centers/childcare centers e.g., Schultz, 1976

Improving attitudes (cont’d) Education/Information e.g., Ragan and Bowen, 2001 Grp 1 Information Only Grp 2 Info plus innocuous discussion grp Grp 3 Info plus reinforcing discussion grp

Improving attitudes (cont’d) Education/Information e.g., Ragan and Bowen, 2001 Grp 1 Information Only Grp 2 Info plus innocuous discussion grp Grp 3 Info plus reinforcing discussion grp Results: Info alone initial improvements Info plus reinf +ve change at 1 mo. follow-up

Summary Multiple age-related stereotypes exist. There are methods to reduce negative stereotypes. We need to: educate others reinforce positive age-related stereotypes adopt positive age-related behaviours.

A Message from CARP

Chronological age vs. functional age (Birren, 1969) Young-old s. old-old Refers to health and social chars (Neugarten, 1974) The fourth age = after 80 years(Baltes, 1997)