AGEISM
Ageism is the assumption that a person's age should
determine their social status and their roles in society. Ageism usually refers to stereotyping and devaluation of seniors.
The NHS has been accused of ageism frequently and from many
fronts. Previous studies have shown that the number of critical care beds in the UK is
inadequate to meet the needs of the population. This study asks whether there is
discrimination against older people in access to these critical care beds.
The Ageism Survey - First Findings
Purpose: To develop an instrument that can be used to
answer three questions:
What is the prevalence of ageism in various societies?
Which types of ageism are more prevalent?
Which subgroups of older people report more ageism?
Methods: A survey instrument was developed listing 20 types
of ageism. This instrument was tested on a convenience sample of 84 persons older than age
60. Results: The instrument appears to have satisfactory reliability and validity. The
survey found that the experience of ageism was widespread and frequent among these
respondents. The majority reported several incidents of ageism and over half of the
incidents were reported to have occurred "more than once." The most frequent
types were persons showing disrespect for older people, followed by persons showing
assumptions about ailments or frailty caused by age. Implications: Researchers now have a
reliable and valid instrument for measuring the prevalence of ageism in various societies
and of various types of ageism experienced by various groups of older persons. This may
aid in reducing the prevalence of ageism in our society. - , Erdman Palmore, PhD, Duke
Center for the Study of Aging, Decision Editor: Laurence G. Branch, PhD -
gerontologist.gerontologyjournals.org/cgi/ content/abstract/41/5/572.
Ageism or Healthism? - Perceptions Based on Age and
Health Status
William L. Gekoski, PhD, V. Jane Knox, PhD, Queen's University
Despite what appears to be ageist behavior in our society, there is little research
evidence indicating that the elderly are perceived negatively. The reason for this
discrepancy may be that it is not age itself but characteristics that covary with age
(such as poor health) that are seen negatively. In a completely between-subjects design,
Target Age (young, old) x Target Health Status (poor, average, excellent) x Respondent
Sex, 120 undergraduates rated a target on Rosencranz and McNevin's (1969)
three-dimensional Aging Semantic Differential. MANOVA and univariate ANOVA results
revealed a moderate target age effect on only the Instrumental-Ineffective dimension, but
a strong target health status effect on all dimensions. Only targets (old and young) in
poor health were seen negatively. An additional 40 undergraduates rated young or old
targets whose health status was unspecified. Ratings of these targets did not differ from
ratings of those whose health status had been specified as average. Our results are
compatible with the notion that people hold multiple substereotypes of the elderly, and
suggest that at least some behavior that appears to be ageist may be more accurately seen
as "healthist." - jah.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/2/1/15
Dispelling Ageism: The Cross-Cutting Intervention - ROBERT N. BUTLER
This article challenges all of us—policymakers, practitioners, scientists, members of
the medical profession, the public at large—to intervene in the most basic of all
problems of old age: "ageism," a term the coinage of which I lay claim to. In
concluding this special issue of The Annals on interventions designed to enhance the
quality of aging, I begin with a history of ageism as a disease. I specify many of its
manifestations, which still linger today despite years of effort to dispel the false
stereotypes and myths about older people. Concerning the treatment of ageism as a disease,
I find that knowledge is the most basic intervention, serving as antidote to numerous
erroneous but widely held beliefs. I conclude with a brief rehearsal of a few
interventions of special interest, including support for older people's sense of mastery,
provision of specially designed self-help books, and the recognition of older people both
as constituting an important market and as potential contributors to the productive
capacity of the society. - ann.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/503/1/138
Attitudes toward the Aged - What We Know and Need to Know - Erdman B. Palmore,
Duke University
A review of past research shows that negative stereotypes and attitudes about the aged are
widespread. We need theoretically oriented research to specify what determines the
stereotypes, prejudices, and discriminations against the aged. This research should be
based on probability samples and use scales tested for reliability and validity. In order
to reduce ageism and thus improve the quality of life among our elders, controlled
experiments are needed to determine which methods of reducing ageism are most effective
and efficient. - roa.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/4/3/333
Protected or Neglected - An Examination of Negative Versus Compassionate Ageism in
Public Conservatorship, Sandra L. Reynolds, University of South Florida
This study examines the assumptions held in the gerontological literature that older
adults suffer negative ageism under conservatorship in comparison with younger adults. For
the purposes of this study, negative ageism is defined in four ways-with demographic and
health factors controlled: Older adults would be more likely (1) to be served under powers
to place the conservatee in locked facilities, (2) to be served under powers that
authorize treatment with psychotropic medication, (3) to be placed in locked facilities,
and (4) to receive psychotropic medications. Findings in this study do not reveal any
evidence of negative ageism; however, findings do support evidence of compassionate
ageism, as older adults are less likely than are younger adults to be served under powers
to place in locked facilities, less likely to be served under powers to treat with
psychotropic medications, less likely to be placed in locked facilities, and less likely
to receive treatment with psychotropic medications. -
roa.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/19/1/3
Ageism and Death: Effects of Mortality Salience and Perceived Similarity to Elders on
Reactions to Elderly People - Andy Martens, Jeff Greenberg, Mark J. Landau,
University of Arizona, Jeff Schimel, University of Alberta
The present research investigated the hypotheses that elderly people can be reminders of
our mortality and that concerns about our own mortality can therefore instigate ageism. In
Study 1, college-age participants who saw photos of two elderly people subsequently showed
more death accessibility than participants who saw photos of only younger people. In Study
2, making mortality salient for participants increased distancing from the average elderly
person and decreased perceptions that the average elderly person possesses favorable
attitudes. Mortality salience did not affect ratings of teenagers. In Study 3, these
mortality salience effects were moderated by prior reported similarity to elderly people.
Distancing from, and derogation of, elderly people after mortality salience occurred only
in participants who, weeks before the study, rated their personalities as relatively
similar to the average elderly person’s. Discussion addresses distinguishing ageism
from other forms of prejudice, as well as possibilities for reducing ageism. -
psp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/30/12/1524
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