scholarly journals Thoughts on the Ageing Body

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Ghillani
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Active Role ◽  
The Body ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Artificial Image ◽  
The Media ◽  
Ageing Body ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Positive Representations

AbstractRecent studies have taken into account the fact that the lives of older people have changed drastically in the past fifty years. Older people today engage more with society and are also expected to maintain an active role in their communities. In order to maintain a positive social status, todays older adults need both to challenge negative stereotypes and also to achieve the “unachievable” positive representations in the media. Society plays a complex game of bodily images: the artificial image of the human body in the media, the image that individuals try to project, and the image that society reflects back to the individual. When the three don’t coincide, the collision creates a distancing effect. To truly understand the lived experiences of older adults in contemporary society we must explore the changing perceptions of the body. This review will illustrate the arguments both classical and contemporary through an exploration of the ageing female body, which remains the focus of most of the literature.

scholarly journals The media image of Chinese older people: From stigmatic stereotype to diverse self-representation

2021 ◽  
pp. 205943642110125
Author(s):  
Kun Li
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Media Studies ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Media Image ◽  
Past Life ◽  
The Media ◽  
Leisure And Recreation ◽  
Chinese Older People

From the perspective of communication and media studies, this article explores a comparison between the image of older adults presented on media and online self-representation facilitated by the use of smartphones. The qualitative textual analysis was conducted with a sample (228 posts, from 1 January to 31 December,2019) selected from a representative WeChat Public Account targeting at older adults in China. The results demonstrate that leisure and recreation is the most frequently mentioned topic (58%) with memories of past life receiving the least references (3%). The striking features of popular posts among older people include a highly emotional tone, bright colours and multimedia. Sentiment analyses shows 68.42%, 13.16% and 18.42% of positive, neutral and negative emotions, respectively. A generally positive attitude of self-representation is in a sharp contrast with the stigmatic media image of older adults. The article concludes that the visibility of Chinese older people may help to reduce the stigma surrounding old age in China.

scholarly journals “BUT WE ARE NOT POWERLESS AGAINST THIS PROBLEM”: OLDER PEOPLE, LONELINESS AND THE MEDIA

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S373-S374
Author(s):  
Mary Pat Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
The Body ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Media Campaigns ◽  
Key Policy ◽  
The Media ◽  
Cultural Constructions

Abstract Media campaigns play a critical role in framing public perceptions or ‘public talk’ around social issues. The media’s role in characterizing the loneliness ‘problem’ is, however, an under explored area. This paper presents the language of loneliness and loneliness representations in the media in Canada and England over a 10-year period (2009-2018) and their relationship with key policy initiatives specific to an ageing population. Using qualitative content analysis, the findings illustrate the use of skilled marketing techniques and highly stigmatizing discourse. These media approaches act to: (1) reinforce the threat of an ageing population; (2) endorse responsibilization and governmentality of the body; and (3) promote individual and/or family shame and morally responsible actions by charities and volunteers. We conclude that there is a need for a critical analysis of loneliness from the perspective of social and cultural constructions of ageing, the positioning of older people in society, and neo-liberalist ideology

scholarly journals The “Vulnerability” Discourse in Times of Covid-19: Between Abandonment and Protection of Canadian Francophone Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martine Lagacé ◽  
Amélie Doucet ◽  
Pascale Dangoisse ◽  
Caroline D. Bergeron
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Aging Process ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Social Representations ◽  
Media Discourse ◽  
Linguistic Minority ◽  
Stereotype Content ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Media

The Covid-19 pandemic has been particularly difficult for older Canadians who have experienced age discrimination. As the media can provide a powerful channel for conveying stereotypes, the current study aimed to explore how Canadian Francophone older adults and the aging process were depicted by the media during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, and to examine if and how the media discourse contributed to ageist attitudes and behaviors. A content analysis of two French Canadian media op-eds and comment pieces (n = 85) published over the course of the first wave of the pandemic was conducted. Findings reveal that the aging process was mainly associated with words of decline, loss, and vulnerability. More so, older people were quasi-absent if not silent in the media discourse. Older adults were positioned as people to fight for and not as people to fight along with in the face of the pandemic. The findings from this study enhance the understanding of theories and concepts of the Theory of Social Representations and the Stereotype Content Model while outlining the importance of providing older people with a voice and a place in the shaping of public discourse around aging. Results also illustrate the transversality and influence of ageism in this linguistic minority context.

scholarly journals The Divine Proportion’s Incidence in Facial and Dental Aesthetics

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 155
Author(s):  
Oprea Valentin BUSU ◽  
Elena Cristina ANDREI
Keyword(s):  
Dental Treatment ◽  
Young Patients ◽  
The Body ◽  
High Expectations ◽  
Patient Dissatisfaction ◽  
Dental Aesthetics ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Media ◽  
Basic Characteristics ◽  
The Individual

As a science, facial and dental aesthetics is highly complex, the dentist being compelled to effectively exploit his abilities of reconstructing affected tissues, but also cultivate his aesthetic sense. Nowadays, dentists frequently face the patients high expectations, regarding dental structure and facial reconstruction. Most young patients tend to choose their model from the media, while patients over the age of 50 desire to have teeth like those of youth. It should also be noted that there is no concept of „cosmetic dentistry” as the teeth can only be adjusted in corellation to the face and body appearance. Thus, between physiognomy and the general appearance of the body and of the teeth a state of interdependence is in existence. One of the major errors that leads to endangering the quality of dental treatment and to patient dissatisfaction is the way in which the doctor-patient relationship is managed. If a person opts for an aesthetic treatment it is clear that it is facing a low self-esteem, in this case the dentist needing to address the disorder on two coordinates: an objective interpretation involves the sequencing of reconstructing a morphological and functional dentition and and establishing the issues related to patients notion of „beautiful”. At the same time, aesthetic dental treatment is based on the personality of the individual, the age, sex and patient's systemic diseases. The notion of „divine proportion” makes possible to perform „perfect” dental works that integrate the facial and somatic features, whose basic characteristics are symmetry, balance, continuity.

scholarly journals Nothing to be ashamed of: sex robots for older adults with disabilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy S Jecker
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Disabled People ◽  
Bodily Integrity ◽  
Human Capabilities ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Sex Robots ◽  
Positive Argument

This paper spotlights ways in which sexual capacities relate to central human capabilities, such as the ability to generate a personally meaningful story of one’s life; be physically, mentally and emotionally healthy; experience bodily integrity; affiliate and bond with others; feel and express a range of human emotions; and choose a plan of life. It sets forth a dignity-based argument for affording older people access to sex robots as part of reasonable efforts to support their central human capabilities at a floor level. The argument develops stepwise: (1) first, I dispel ageism and negative stereotypes about later-life sexuality, showing their deep historical roots in medicine and science; (2) second, I set forth a positive argument, grounded in capability accounts of justice, for deploying sex robots for older people with disabilities; (3) finally, after responding to objections, I conclude that sex robots are a reasonable way to support later-life sexuality for persons with disabilities. While often depicted as a product for younger, able-bodied people, this paper is a bid for reimagining sex robots as a product for older, disabled people.

Firm but Shapely, Fit but Sexy, Strong but Thin: The Postmodern Aerobicizing Female Bodies

1995 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 424-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pirkko Markula
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Female Body ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Media Analysis ◽  
Consumer Society ◽  
Women's Relationships ◽  
The Media ◽  
Cultural Dialogue ◽  
Female Bodies ◽  
The Individual

This paper aims to reconstruct the cultural dialogue surrounding the female body image in aerobics. To do this I have used several methods: ethnographic fieldwork, interviews, and media analysis. I found that the media ideal is a contradiction: firm but shapely, fit but sexy, strong but thin. Likewise, women’s relationships with the media image are contradictory: They struggle to obtain the ideal body, but they also find their battles ridiculous. I interpret my findings from a Foucaultian perspective to show how the discourse surrounding the female body image is part of a complex use of power over women in postmodern consumer society. In addition, I assume a feminist perspective that assigns an active role to the individual aerobicizers to question the power arrangement.

scholarly journals The Spanish Intergenerational Study: Beliefs, Stereotypes, and Metacognition about Older People and Grandparents to Tackle Ageism

Geriatrics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Aida Muntsant ◽  
Paula Ramírez-Boix ◽  
Rocío Leal-Campanario ◽  
Francisco Javier Alcaín ◽  
Lydia Giménez-Llort
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Intergenerational Study ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Prejudice And Discrimination

Ageism can be seen as systematic stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination of people because of their age. For a long time, society has accepted negative stereotypes as a norm. When referring to older adults, the United Nations Global Report on Ageism warns about a severe impact. The Intergenerational Study for a Healthy Aging, a questionnaire about believes, stereotypes, and knowledge about older people and grandparents, was administered to 326 Spanish biology and medical students. Here we report the results of stereotype analysis through adjective qualification of the youth and older people performed before the survey. Content analysis of two open questions about metacognition at the end of the survey is also presented. The results show that: (1) The questionnaire promoted metacognition; (2) Positive metacognition toward grandparents was higher than for the general old population; (3) Most participants were not conscious about ageism; (4) Gender was a key factor—male students were more ageist than females; (5) The feeling of guilt was higher in the questionnaire about older people; (6) The metacognition exercise elicited thoughts and, in few cases, the need to take action to tackle ageism. In conclusion, both activities promoted active thoughts about older people vs. grandparents and helped participants realize unconscious ageism—specifically toward the older population—serving as an awareness activity that may help tackle ageism.

The Ethics of Seeking Body Perfection, with Continual Reference to Heidi Montag

2014 ◽  
pp. 67-95
Author(s):  
Brett Lunceford
Keyword(s):  
Plastic Surgery ◽  
Cosmetic Surgery ◽  
The Body ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Individual

In an increasingly visual society, beauty may seem only skin deep. This chapter considers the ethics of cosmetic surgery through the lens of posthumanism, a stance that suggests that defects of the body can be overcome through technology. Cosmetic surgery, with its reliance on prostheses and promise of reshaping the body, is, at its heart, a posthuman enterprise. Although many have engaged in cosmetic surgery, actress Heidi Montag became an exemplar of reshaping the body by undergoing ten different plastic surgery procedures in one day. Using Montag as foil, this chapter examines four ethical dimensions of cosmetic surgery: the ethics of the medical professionals who perform and advertise these procedures, the ethics of the individual making the decision, the ethics of the media structures that promote a homogenous ideal of beauty, and the ethics of those who tacitly approve of such procedures.

scholarly journals Value systems as motivational forces for the suppression of ageism towards older people amongst young adults: an analysis across countries

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Adrian Stanciu
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Practical Implication ◽  
Value Systems ◽  
Threat Perception ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Self Transcendence ◽  
The Individual

Abstract What explains ageism towards older people? Several answers exist in the literature, but it is still unclear whether the ageism people express has been altered by motivational forces (i.e. factors which carry or enact motivation, leading to action or thought) or whether an original, primal ageism can be expressed directly. Investigating populations of young adults (45 and younger), this article suggests that value systems are sources of internal and external motivational forces which work to either suppress or to justify both subtle and blatant forms of ageism. It was hypothesised that, at the individual level, values precede any threat perception and negative stereotypical beliefs associated with older people, leading to forms of ageism which match the motivational goals of a person's values. It was further expected that, at the cultural level, values represent the climate in which people express ageist beliefs. It was found that self-transcendence values can bypass the negative effects of threat perception and negative stereotypes, resulting in less-negative forms of ageism. A sample comprising a clear majority of hierarchical, non-Western cultures showed that self-enhancement values also contributed motivational strength for the suppression of blatant ageism. A practical implication of these findings is the possibility of further developing existing strategies of combating ageism by working to effect appropriate long-term changes in the values of young adults.

scholarly journals Challenging and Dismantling Ageist Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behaviors Through Intergenerational Programs

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 480-480
Author(s):  
Tia Rogers-Jarrell ◽  
Brad Meisner
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Negative Stereotypes ◽  
Age Stereotypes ◽  
Intergroup Contact Theory ◽  
Intergenerational Programs ◽  
Negative Beliefs ◽  
Age Segregation ◽  
Older Populations

Abstract Age stereotypes are complex and multifaceted: individuals can demonstrate and embody numerous and varied positive and negative stereotypes. Therefore, solutions to combat age stereotypes must also be complex and multifaceted. Additionally, both social and physical forms of age segregation are common in our society. This causes fewer and fewer opportunities for younger and older people to interact. Intergroup Contact Theory suggests age stereotypes can be reduced through increased intergenerational contact. One way to encourage contact between younger and older populations is through intergenerational programming. However, there is a lack of literature investigating the effects of intergenerational programs on perceptions of aging. The purpose of this paper was to critically review and explore literature on intergenerational programs to understand how they influence age stereotypes and ageist attitudes. The available literature suggests that intergenerational programs involving young children (ages 4-8), adolescents (ages 11-18), or emerging adults (ages 19-26) interacting with older adults (ages 65+) can significantly reduce age stereotypes towards older adults. Additionally, older adults (ages 65+) negative beliefs and attitudes towards younger people (ages 4-26) can also be deconstructed after participation in intergenerational programs. Intergenerational programs act to break down age barriers and promote connections and understandings between generations. These programs challenge the belief that older and younger people should live and participate in spaces that are separate from one another. Providing opportunities for younger and older people to participate in intergenerational programs is one way to promote respectful relationships and enhance the quality of life and health of all generations.

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