A Multi-Dimensional, Multiple Method Analysis of Attitudes Toward the Elderly (original) (raw)
Related papers
Evaluation of young adults’ attitudes towards the elderly
2019
Introduction. As a result of demographic aging of the Polish society there is a need to diagnose the situation through the study of public opinion on the perception of the elderly. Aim. To determine attitudes of young adults between 18-35 years of age towards older people. Material and methods. 225 people participated in the study. The following research tools: personal inquiry form of socio-demographic data; Kogan’s Attitudes Toward Old People Scale and Implicit Association Test were used. Results. Kogan’s Scale mean score was 80.68 points. There has been no significant difference between the sexes. The mean respondents felt age was 22.45 years. The mean age they wanted to live to was 84.43 years. The respondents mean age which they would like to have, if they could choose was 20.66 years. The mean age at which respondents agreed that old age begins was 60.91 years. Conclusions. Young adults in Polish society have slightly positive attitude towards older people regardless of gender...
Attitudes Toward Younger and Older Adults: An Updated Meta-Analytic Review
This meta-analytic review of 232 effect sizes showed that, across five categories, attitudes were more negative toward older than younger adults. Perceived age differences were largest for age stereotypes and smallest for evaluations. As predicted by social role theory (Eagly, 1987), effect sizes were reduced when detailed information was provided about the person being rated. The double standard of aging emerged for evaluations and behavior/behavioral intentions, but was reversed for the competence category. Perceptions depended on respondent age also. Results demonstrated both the multi-dimensionality and the complexity of attitudes toward older adults (Hummert, 1999; Kite & Wagner, 2002). For over half a century, gerontologists have puzzled over North Americans' fascination with youth and their reluctance to accept aging gracefully. Initially, research on these issues was based on the assumption that negative attitudes toward older adults were widespread (Butler, 1969). Subsequent reviewers have reached different, and sometimes opposite conclusions. At the same time that Green (1981)
Attitudes of the Student Youth and Middle Aged Persons Towards the Elderly
2008
Two data sets obtained by administering the Tuckman and Lorge Scale (1953) to a sample of 75 university students and 114 rural, middle aged people are used to assess the attitudes of two age groups toward the elderly. The results indicate that the student youth, the respondents not living with old people in their families, men, respondents belonging to disadvantaged sections of the society, and those from low income groups hold more negative attitudes toward the elderly as compared to their counterparts. More specifically, poverty appears to be significantly associated with negative attitudes toward the elderly which may be the consequence of lack of enough financial resources to take care of them. It is recommended that programmes should be designed to integrate the aged into the family and social fabric, to bring the younger generations closer to them and to provide families with support services so as to enable them to take better care of the old people.
Attitude Toward Old People: The Impact of an Intergenerational Program
Educational Gerontology, 1991
The impact of a 1-day, 5-hr intergeneration workshop in changing elementary and high school students' attitudes toward older persons was assessed. Results indicated that participation in the program significantly improved young people's personalized attitudes toward old people and their acceptance of old people. The association between age, gender, and attitudes is also examined. The implications of intergenerational programs for improving attitudes are discussed.
Elderly Peoples’ Perception of Young People – A Preliminary Study
Iranian Journal of Public Health, 2013
Background Aging is becoming a more noticeable phenomenon in Poland and Europe. We analysed the perception of youth by elderly and compared attitudes of students of the University of the Third Age (SU3A) with nursing homes residents (NHR) to young people. Methods Our questionnaire was distributed to 140 people over the age of 50 (70 SU3A and 70 NHR). Results 85.0% of all respondents answered positively to the question “Do you enjoy contact with young people?”, even though their contacts are usually limited and mostly confined to a few s a year. Vast majority of NHR (62.9%) and almost half SU3A (48.6%) believe that there is a need to integrate seniors and youth to achieve mutual benefits. Conclusion Young people would benefit from the life experience of the elderly; the elderly could become more active in many areas of life.
Ageism: College Students' Perceptions about Older People
Nwsa Social Sciences, 2011
Old age is generally defined as a social phenomenon accompanied by prejudices, stereotypes and negative images. Despite the arguement that in recent years a social process of positive change is taking place in the perception of the elderly, the negative image is still the most frequent among all age groups, including the young people. This research was planned and carried out to determine college students" perceptions about older people and ageist attitudes towards them. The data were obtained using a questionnairewas administered to students enrolled in different courses at universities in city of Ankara. The convenient sample of 278 volunteers consisted of 141 women and 137 men, ranging in age from 17 to 32 years. Results from the "Froboni Scale of Ageism" suggest that female and male students were quite similar in the ageist behaviors. Findings also stated that altough male students mean scores were some more higher than females", gender was not statistically correlated with ageism.
Attitudes toward old people and beliefs about aging: A generational study
1995
Attitudes toward the elderly were examined in three generations through analysis of media use, gender, contact with elderly, age, factual knowledge about aging, and parental influence on attitude formation. Respondents were randomly selected (X = 37.12 years). The sample consisted of 714 volunteers (268 males and 446 females) comprising five ethnic groups (11% African-American, 10% Asian, 53% Caucasian, 16% Latino, 10% Other). Data were analyzed using Pearson's product-moment r, ANOVA and Student's t. The results revealed that age, factual knowledge, perceived ageism in mass media and parental influence were significantly related to attitudes toward the elderly. As age, perceived ageism in mass media, and factual knowledge increased, attitudes became more positive. Also, the more positive parental influence was reported to be, the more positive attitudes toward the elderly were. It can be concluded that as variables, parental influence and mass media influence should receive...
Attitudes toward older adults: The perceived value of grandparent as a social role
Journal of Adult Development, 1996
The present study examined the discrepancy between young and middle-aged adults' persistently negative attitudes toward older adults in general and their consistently positive attitudes toward grandparents. Two hundred-twenty young and middle-aged college students completed the Aging Semantic Differential and indicated or estimated (where appropriate) the average age for three categories of older adults: old people in general, typical (i.e., hypothetical, prototypical) grandparents, and their own grandparents. A pattern of results emerged in which students viewed older adults less positively than typical grandparents, who generally were viewed less positively than known grandparents. Because older people in general and typical grandparents were estimated as being similar in age, the positive attitudes expressed toward typical grandparents may be attributed to the social role of grandparent over and above any bias against increased age. Because students were most positive about their own grandparents, aspects of their individual grandparental relationships appear to have an additional, additive effect.
2021
Objective: This descriptive study was planned to assess the positive and negative ageist attitudes of individua ls over the age of 18 years through social media, to d e ermine the associated factors, and to develop sug ge tions. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in June 2020 through socia l media with the participation of 328 individuals over the age of 18 years. Data wer e collected using the Positive and Negative Ageism Scale (PNAS) and an information form. Data were evaluated using means, percentages, standard deviation, and ANOVA and Tukey tests. Results: The mean total Positive and Negative Ageism Scale (PNAS) score was 90.29 ± 8.36. Conclusion: Educational status was found to have affected the mean PNAS total and subscores.
Differential Sensitivity to Administration Format of Measures of Attitudes Toward Older Adults
The Gerontologist, 2010
Purpose: Reluctance to reveal sensitive or socially undesirable attitudes has posed a problem for measurement of personal attributes such as attitudes toward older people. These have long been documented to be negative and likely arise both from fears of one ' s own aging and the modern societal emphasis on youth. In order to increase our knowledge about the measurement of attitudes toward older people, we compared the administration of attitude measures toward older people by computer and conventional paper-and-pencil methods. Design and Methods: We contrasted the responses of 60 university undergraduates (mean age 24.3 years, SD 8.51; 68% female) to fi ve traditional paper-and-pencil format attitude questionnaires toward older people with responses to the same questionnaires made using an Internet delivery and response mode. Results: Results showed that more negative attitudes were revealed using the computer-based Internet response format for all scales. Only two scales did not show signifi cant differences between formats. Implications: Future research on attitudes toward older people should be aware that results are dependent not only on the particular scale that is used but also on the format of administration, with more negative attitudes revealed with computer administration.