Aging And Negative Stereotypes Of Aging - 1960 Words

Generally, modern society reinforces negative perceptions of the process of aging, and it is often portrayed in society as being a lonely and depressing experience. These perceptions are important because elderly individuals that have a positive outlook on aging have been linked to better health and psychological well-being. This study explores the impact of negative and positive perceptions of aging, held by society, and how they influence aging individuals. Although, some positive stereotypes exist that are associated with the process of aging they are outweighed by negative stereotypes. â€Å"Labeling Theory† suggests that when older individuals are presented with negative stereotypes they themselves will assimilate these ideas, and will preform worse in age related tasks (Kotter-Grà ¼hn Hess, 2012). In fact studies have shown that when presented with negative reinforcers of aging, individuals show more age related concerns and memory is impacted negatively (Kotter-Gr à ¼hn Hess, 2012). In contrast â€Å"Resilience Theory† suggests that conflict between negative aspects of aging and negative stereotypes can be a pathway to a more positive self perception (Kotter-Grà ¼hn Hess, 2012). The idea of the theory being when individuals feel threatened by societal views they will compare themselves to those that are worse off than they are, and this will in turn lead to a more positive self perception. Resilience theory is supported by a study that found improvement in competence inShow MoreRelatedAging Of Aging And Aging Essay1652 Words   |  7 PagesAs aging is a stage of development that cannot prevented, the question of â€Å"can one’s aging be more successful than another?† is posed my many. 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