Beliefs, stereotypes and prejudices of the elderly towards aging
Beliefs, stereotypes and prejudices of the elderly towards aging
Main Article Content
Abstract
Discrimination against older adults by age, because a negative beliefs, attitudes and prejudices is frequent but little accepted and reported. The objective is knowing types and frequency of beliefs, stereotypes and prejudices towards the aging by older adults in the city of Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico and its association with personal, social, family and work aspects. The material and method are crosssectional study, 572 elderly adults randomly selected from the population. Prior informed consent, the Scale on Prejudice to Aging and Aging and the Questionnaire on Negative Stereotypes towards Aging were applied. It was analyzed in SPSS 20. The results are: in the affective field (feeling and prejudices), the most negative dimensions are to be politically correct, social isolation and self-esteem, The most negative items are being slow, old, sick, fatigued and boring. In the cognitive sphere 87.2% refer negative beliefs and stereotypes towards aging, and are associated with having family dysfunction, difficulties in their personal care and over 75 years. In older adults the frequency of beliefs, stereotypes and prejudices negative to old age is high and is associated with family and health factors.
References
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componente conductual de actitudes viejistas en ancianos. International Journal of
Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 11(3), 359-375.
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Social Issues, 72(1), 86–104.
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(Ed.), Ageism: Stereotyping and prejudice against older persons (pp. 295–309).
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10.1037/a0027843.
North, M.S., y Fiske, S.T. (2013). Act your (old) age: Prescriptive, ageist biases over succession,
consumption, and identity. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 39(6), 720–734.
doi: 10.1177/0146167213480043
North, M.S., y Fiske, S.T. (2016). Resource scarcity and prescriptive attitudes generate subtle,
intergenerational older-worker exclusion. Journal of Social Issues, 72(1), 122–145.
Ory, M., Hoffman, M.K., Hawkins, M., Sanner, B., y Mockenhaupt, R. (2003). Challenging aging
stereotypes: strategies for creating a more active society. American Journal of
Preventive Medicine, 25 supp 2(3), 164–171.
Ouchida, K., y Lachs, M.S. (2015). Not for doctor only: ageism in healthcare. Generations.
Journal of the American Society on aging, 39(3), 46-57.
Ramírez, L.F., y Palacios-Espinosa, X. (2016). Stereotypes about old age, social support, aging
anxiety and evaluations of one’s own health. Journal of Social Issues, 72(1), 47–68.
Robbins, L.A. (2015). The pernicious problem of Ageism. Generation. Journal of the American
Society of Aging, 39(3), 6-9.
Snaedal, J. (2016). Ageing and ageism. World Medical Journal, 62(1), 2-5.
Vega, J.L., y Bueno, B. (1995). Desarrollo adulto y envejecimiento. Madrid: Síntesis.
hacia la Vejez. Espacio Abierto. Cuaderno Venezolano de Sociología, 25(4), 299-313.
Atchely, R.C. (1999). Continuity and adaptation in aging: Creating positive experiences.
Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Bai, X., Lai, D.W.L., y Guo, A. (2016). Ageism and depression: Perceptions of older people as a
burden in China. Journal of Social Issues, 72(1), 26-46.
Baron, R.A., y Byrne, D. (1998). Psicología social. Madrid: Prentice Hall.
Blanca, M.J., Sánchez, C., y Trianes, M.V. (2005). Cuestionario de evaluación de estereotipos
negativos hacia la vejez. Revista Multidisciplinar de Gerontología, 15(4), 212-220.
Butler, R.N. (1969). Age-ism: Another form of bigotry. The Gerontologist, 9(4), 243–246.
Castellano, C.L. (2014). Análisis de la relación entre las actitudes hacia la vejez y el
envejecimiento y los índices de bienestar en una muestra de personas mayores. Revista
Española de Geriatría y Gerontología, 40(3), 108-114.
Castellano, C.L., y De Miguel, A. (2010). Estereotipos viejistas en ancianos: actualización de la
estructura factorial y propiedades psicométricas de dos cuestionarios pioneros.
International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 10(2), 259-278.
Castellano, C.L., y De Miguel, A. (2011). Propiedades psicométricas del cuestionario Conductas
Discriminatorias hacia la vejez y el Envejecimiento (CONDUC_ENV): Análisis del
componente conductual de actitudes viejistas en ancianos. International Journal of
Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 11(3), 359-375.
Chrisler, J.C., Barney, A., y Palatino, B. (2016). Ageism can be hazardous to women’s health:
Ageism, sexism, and stereotypes of older women in the health care system. Journal of
Social Issues, 72(1), 86–104.
Davis, M.M., Bond, L.A., Howard, A., y Sarkisian, C.A. (2011). Primary Care Clinician
Expectations Regarding Aging. The Gerontologist, 51(6), 856–866.
De Miguel, A., y Castellanos, C.L. (2012). Evaluación del componente afectivo de las actitudes
viejistas en ancianos: Escala sobre el prejuicio hacia la Vejez y el Envejecimiento
(PREJ-ENV). International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 12(1),
69-83.
Dionigi, R.A. (2015). Stereotypes of aging: their effects on the health of older adults. Journal of
Geriatrics, 2015. doi: 10.1155/2015/954027
Dionigi, R.A. y Horton, S. (2012). The influence of leisure on discourses of aging. In H.J. Gibson,
y J.F. Singleton, (Eds.), Leisure and Aging: Theory and Practice (pp. 27–39).
Champaign, Ill, USA: Human Kinetics.
Dittmann, M. (2003). Fighting Ageism: Geopsychologists Are Striving to Stop Negative Age
Stereotypes and Meet the Growing Mental Health Needs of Older Adults. Monitor on
Psychology, 34(5), 50.
Giles, H., y Reid, S.A. (2005). Ageism across the lifespan: Towards a self-categorization model of
ageing. Journal of Social Issues, 61(2), 389-404.
Greenberg, J., Pyszczynski, T., y Solomon, S. (1986). The causes and consequences of the need
for self-esteem: A terror management theory. En R.F. Baumeister, (Ed.), Public and
private self (pp. 189-212). New York: Springer-Verlag.
Gutiérrez, L., y Mejía, J.F. (2010). Significaciones de vejez, para reflexionar sobre un espacio
radial de aprendizaje la exclusión social del adulto mayor. Tesis de grado en Educación
de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación de la Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira.
Colombia.
Horton, S., Baker, J., y Deakin, J.M. (2007). Stereotypes of aging: their effects on the health of
seniors in North American society. Educational Gerontology, 33(12), 1021–1035,
Kornadt, A.E., y Rothermund, K. (2011). Contexts of aging: assessing evaluative age stereotypes
in different life domains. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and
Social Sciences, 66(5), 547–556.
Levy, B.R., Slade, M.D., Kunkel, S.R., y Kasi, S.V. (2002). Longevity Increased by Positive
Selfperceptions of Aging. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(2), 261–
270.
Levy, B.R., y Langer, E. (1994). Aging free from negative stereotypes: Successful memory in
China and among the American deaf. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,
66(6), 989–997. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.66.6.989
Luo, B., Zhou, K., Jin, E., Newman, A., y Liang, J. (2013). Ageism among college students: A
comparative study between U.S. and China. Journal of Cross Cultural Gerontology,
28(1), 49–63. doi: 10.1007/s10823-013-9186-5
Macdonald, J.L., y Levy, S.R. (2016). Ageism in the workplace: The role of psychosocial factors
in predicting job satisfaction, commitment, and engagement. Journal of Social Issues,
72(1), 169–190.
Nelson, T.D. (2002). Ageism: stereotyping and prejudice against older persons. Cambridge, MA:
MIT Press.
Nelson, T.D. (2016). The Age of Ageism. Journal of Social Issues, 72(1), 191-198 doi:
10.1111/josi.12162
Ng, R., Monin, J.K., Allore, H.G., y Levy, B.R. (2016). Retirement asmeaningful: Positive
retirement stereotypes associated with longevity. Journal of Social Issues, 72(1), 69–85.
Ng, S.H. (2002). Will families support their elders? Answers from across cultures. In T.D. Nelson
(Ed.), Ageism: Stereotyping and prejudice against older persons (pp. 295–309).
Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
North, M.S., y Fiske, S.T. (2012). An inconvenienced youth? Ageism and its potential
intergenerational roots. Psychological Bulletin, 138(5), 982–997. doi:
10.1037/a0027843.
North, M.S., y Fiske, S.T. (2013). Act your (old) age: Prescriptive, ageist biases over succession,
consumption, and identity. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 39(6), 720–734.
doi: 10.1177/0146167213480043
North, M.S., y Fiske, S.T. (2016). Resource scarcity and prescriptive attitudes generate subtle,
intergenerational older-worker exclusion. Journal of Social Issues, 72(1), 122–145.
Ory, M., Hoffman, M.K., Hawkins, M., Sanner, B., y Mockenhaupt, R. (2003). Challenging aging
stereotypes: strategies for creating a more active society. American Journal of
Preventive Medicine, 25 supp 2(3), 164–171.
Ouchida, K., y Lachs, M.S. (2015). Not for doctor only: ageism in healthcare. Generations.
Journal of the American Society on aging, 39(3), 46-57.
Ramírez, L.F., y Palacios-Espinosa, X. (2016). Stereotypes about old age, social support, aging
anxiety and evaluations of one’s own health. Journal of Social Issues, 72(1), 47–68.
Robbins, L.A. (2015). The pernicious problem of Ageism. Generation. Journal of the American
Society of Aging, 39(3), 6-9.
Snaedal, J. (2016). Ageing and ageism. World Medical Journal, 62(1), 2-5.
Vega, J.L., y Bueno, B. (1995). Desarrollo adulto y envejecimiento. Madrid: Síntesis.