Ageism

Targets of Ageism

Stereotypes based on age suggest the notion that all people within a certain age group are alike, such as old people are disabled or young people are entitled. Stereotypical negative beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors against people based on their age can have a profound impact on their life, including their careers, healthcare, mental health, and relationships. Ageism was coined in the 1960s by Robert Butler, termed a prejudice of one age group toward other age groups, and he highlighted disadvantages older people faced particularly in the housing sector. Butler noted that ageism prejudice was problematic for the young as well. Overt and covert negative stereotypes of elders can lead to mistreatment, such as blatant disrespect, avoidant and patronizing behavior, and unwarranted simplified and slow communication, and physical and financial neglect and abuse. Elderly people have been characterized by ageist stereotypical views as being forgetful, incompetent, sickly, smelly, unattractive, and, ultimately, burdensome. Elderly stereotypes depend on consequential realities people experience with aging, such as declining physical and mental faculties. Ageist prejudices often dictate the value of the elderly as less-than (devalued), and their usefulness as little or no use any longer, indeed a burden on society (unworthy), and in extreme situations deemed not worthy of living any longer particularly when resources become scarce. One of the underlying tenets of ageism is the older people become, their social value declines, and subsequently their potential for contribution is replaced with the burdens of declining capacity. Their declining social relevance becomes synonymous with physical and mental capacity decline due to the aging process.

Young people can experience age discrimination as well, which is referred to as “juvenile ageism.” Young people can be denied social responsibilities and rights based on age and can be treated with disrespect and disregard, not taken seriously and dismissed, and can have proscriptive expectations about their behavior due to ageism. Teenagers are often characterized as being uneducated, uniformed, and not “old enough” to be able to form opinions on politics, religion, and social issues. This statement reflects this type of bias toward teenagers: “Teens shouldn’t have opinions about politics or the world because they only reflect the views of their parents and what they [Page 66]are taught at home.” Children and young people have been characterized as being naive, incompetent, and irresponsible. Overt messages such as “children should be seen and not heard” convey this type of ageist prejudice toward the young by denying their right to a voice based solely upon their age and limited development. While their level of development may warrant special treatment and considerations (they are not adults as far as their cognitive and physical development), their individual developmental needs may not justify this oversimplified approach. An 8-year-old who has not developed abstract thinking skills does not warrant being ignored by the family any more than an 88-year-old with cognitive impairment should have any less access to nutritious food or healthy social interaction. And many older people who experience ageism themselves perpetuate this for younger groups. For example, the older population often makes these kinds of statements, although they experience this as well. Those who are hurt, hurt other people, and marginalized people further marginalize others.

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