Ageism: can a museum exhibit make a difference?

ABSTRACTAgeism is a key challenge to today’s aging societies. “Dialogue with Time” is an original Israeli interactive museum exhibit that aims to change negative ageist attitudes by creating a meaningful and stereotype-breaking encounter between visitors and old age. The objective of this study was to examine whether the exhibition reduces ageist attitudes among its visitors. The study employed a comparative pre-post structure with a comparison group. A closed-answer questionnaire was supplied to 100 participants in the experimental group, visitors to the “Dialogue with Time” exhibit, and to 100 participants in the control group. Participants were asked to complete the questionnaire before entering the exhibits and again after experiencing them. Changes in the level of ageism were measured using the Farboni Scale of Ageism. A significant reduction in ageism attitudes was shown in the experimental group when comparing before and after the visit, t(91) = 11.75, p = 0.001, with a good effect size of Cohen’s d = 0.50, whereas in the control group there was no significant change, t(76) = 0.05, p = 0.95, and a weak effect size of Cohen’s d = 0.00. The findings indicate that combating ageism can also be sustained by means of museum exhibits. We recommend that museums and other similar public institutions (e.g. art galleries, exhibition halls) use public spaces to advance multigenerational exposure to positive images of aging.

Bilder des Alterns

Old human bodies are by no means taboo in our visual environment. They are particularly present in photographs and can be found especially in well-known picture formulas from portraits, nudes or representations of stages of life. This new visibility of old age also affects ideas about sexual morality, grandparenthood, generational relationships and courses of life. Sabine Kampmann examines the change in meaning that the images of aging have experienced and shows how photography influences our conceptions of aging. She presents works by Giorgione, Lucas Cranach and Bernardo Strozzi as well as by Nicholas Nixon, Annegret Soltau, Miwa Yanagi, Andres Serrano, Erwin Olaf, Roman Opalka, and Melanie Manchot.

VIEWS ON AGING: NEW PERSPECTIVES FOR THEORY AND RESEARCH

Over the past 20 years, research on views on aging has substantiated their importance for successful development and sustained quality of life over the full length of the life span. However, a deep understanding of the origins of views on aging and the underlying processes of their lifespan development and manifestation is lacking. Since 2017, the scientific network “Images of Aging” funded by the German Research Foundation (http://www.health.uni-konstanz.de/images-of-aging) assembles national and international renowned experts in the field. The network engages in empirical clarifications on both the distinctness and validity of the construct (contribution of Klusmann et al.) as well as in critically reviewing terminology and measures of views on aging (contribution of Notthoff et al.). The network aims to help clarifying the dynamic interplay of determinants and outcomes in the context of health (contribution of Wolff et al.) as well as disentangling intra- and intergenerational stereotypic perceptions (contribution of Kornadt et al.). Both of these are understudied issues with highly practical implications for two of the largest demographic challenges: shaping the coexistence of generations as well as providing adequate health care supply. Integrating both pertinent theoretical approaches and empirical findings the network regards views on aging under a lifespan perspective. Recently, it suggested three core principles of views on aging regarding lifelong bio-psycho-social development, their multidimensional nature, and their impact across life. These considerations provide a background for an integrative discussion of the symposium’s contributions.

THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL AND STEREOTYPES OF AGING: AN INTERGENERATIONAL STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE

One of the biggest barriers to encouraging a new generation of students to consider careers in aging are the ageist attitudes that they hold and the negative images of aging that they are bombarded with through the media. Sociologists have learned that an effective way to combat ageism is to bring together individuals from different cultural groups, including different age cohorts, to improve social attitudes. In a 2018 AGHE presentation, Jill J. Naar, explored the idea of promoting age-friendly universities by creating intergenerational education tourism programs. In this presentation I share my experience in leading an intergenerational study abroad in Germany that included five generations studying the creation of public memory on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I will share some of the logistical considerations along with the way that the study abroad helped to meet some of the AGHE competencies for undergraduate programs in Gerontology.

BELIEFS REGARDING GERIATRICS PRIMARY CARE TOPICS AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS AND INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENTS

Our study evaluated and contrasted responses to 25 content areas essential to the primary care of older adults by medical students and residents, and identified attitudes toward aging amongst students and residents. One hundred and thirty-six medical students and 61 Internal Medicine residents completed a survey including the 25-item Geriatrics Clinician-Educator Survey and 18-item Images of Aging Scale. Students and residents rated importance and knowledge for content areas from 1 (low) to 10 (high). Gap scores reflecting the difference in ratings between importance and knowledge were calculated. The Images of Aging scale ranges between 0 (furthest from what you think) and 6 (closest to what you think). Results indicated that students and residents reflected similar beliefs about the importance of content areas, but students provided lower ratings in knowledge. Students revealed larger gap scores in areas that reflected general primary care (e.g., assess chronic conditions, medications), whereas residents revealed larger gap scores in areas that reflected specialists’ expertise (e.g., driving risk, cognition, psychiatric symptoms). Attitudes toward older adults did not differ appreciably between students and residents. In sum, primary care topics applicable for any age demographic were rated as most important by first-year medical students and Internal Medicine residents. Topics relevant to older populations – particularly those requiring specialists’ knowledge of or requiring sensitive discussion with older adults – were rated as less important and were less well mastered.

Views on aging in selection: HR implications

Purpose It is well-known that stereotypes on aging and perceptions about the suitability of certain jobs for certain age groups can influence performance ratings. However, it is unclear whether and how subjective views on aging are associated with judgment on someone else’s performance. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of aging perceptions and images of aging on performance ratings for a fictitious set of male candidates with different age and job profiles. Ratings of interest were job suitability, developmental potential, interpersonal skills and performance capacity. Design/methodology/approach Using an online survey format, data was collected from 203 Irish and UK employees to assess how they evaluated different fictitious candidates for a local development committee. The age and mentorship status of the candidates were also manipulated. Findings The age or mentoring status of the candidate did not play a significant role in how they were rated. Multiple regression analyses indicated, however, that participants’ aging perceptions and aging images had a significantly positive influence on how they rated the fictitious candidates (after controlling for participant variables such as age and experience). However, positive images of aging and aging perceptions on the part of the participants predicted more positive overall job suitability ratings, developmental potential, interpersonal skills and performance capacity. When the participants had more negative views on aging, they would also allocate lower ratings. Originality/value The results indicate that employee attitudes about aging play a role in how they will rate others. Given the importance of potential rating bias, the authors propose a number of training interventions that human resource professionals may be able to carry out to positively shape the informational basis for more negative aging attitudes.

Improving images of aging

The present issue of International Psychogeriatrics is the second one conveying data and reflections related to positive psychiatry (see Editorial: Jeste, 2018).