Careers in the construction trades can provide high earnings and good benefits, often through a learn-while-you-earn apprenticeship. In 2020, more than 300,000 women worked in the trades--the largest number ever. Yet while their numbers are growing, women still make up fewer than one in twenty of workers in construction occupations. This report…

Examined role of misperceptions in a Congressional debate about policies for the aging. Found that misperceptions about the elderly, in the guise of compassionate stereotypes, were frequently expressed. Legislators voicing such stereotypes were the most likely to speak and vote against proposals to reduce Social Security benefits. Found some…

Attitudes were assessed after 89 undergraduates were asked either five neutral questions, five questions on the economic welfare of older people, or five on elders' physical frailty. Economic questions resulted in significantly more negative views of the mental aspects of aging, suggesting that questionnaires may contain tacit sources of bias. (SK)

A study examined 197 college students' impressions of memory skills and personality of older adults and the relation of these impressions to clothing cleanliness and condition. It found that clothing cleanliness and coordination affected attitudes and also interacted with the gender of the older person to affect those impressions. (JOW)

A survey of Washington State dentists in private practice shows generally inaccurate perceptions of the aging process. More experienced dentists held fewer stereotypes, those rating elderly patients as having good oral hygiene held positive stereotypes, and geriatrics coursework did not affect stereotypes. Implications for training and geriatric…

Surveyed 54 young, 54 middle-aged, and 54 older adults on connotative meanings of 10 common nouns referring to older persons. Results were similar across age groups. Mature American, Senior Citizen, and Retired Person were rated generally positively while Aged, Elderly, and nouns using "old" were rated more negatively. (Author/NB)

Age and sex of the applicant had little impact on attitudinal items. Competent and hired applicants were rated significantly more positively. There was a significant age by hiring interaction on the attribution items. Stable factors were used more often to explain the failures of the old. (Author)

In a review of studies using the Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ), group reliability was high, but item reliability was low. Less educated groups were more biased against the elderly. In some ways the revised FAQ supports the Palmore scale, while compensating for its weaknesses. (JAC)

Before and 1 month after age awareness workshops, 200 British participants took the Palmore Aging Quiz and Fraboni Scale of Ageism. Palmore scores significantly improved but Fraboni scores were unchanged. Results suggest that increased awareness improves factual knowledge but does not change attitudes toward aging and older people. (Contains 18…

Two Commission of European Communities surveys of people over age 15 and of those over 60 demonstrated a widespread belief that older people deserve public support and services and face employment discrimination. Socioeconomic factors influenced older people's sense of security and life satisfaction. Positive intergenerational attitudes appeared.…

This paper argues that a key factor in the dependency of older people with intellectual disabilities is the age discriminatory attitudes held by many service providers. Two research projects of deinstitutionalization in Britain found greater improvement in competencies or less deterioration in older than younger individuals at follow-up despite…

Describes a class in human development where students took on roles of the elderly by simulating physical constraints and aging. Depicts their reactions to the conditions and behaviors of the elderly. Allows students to examine their personal conceptions of the elderly. Finds study fostered empathy with senior adults. (Author/NL)

According to a 1981 questionnaire survey of 2,554 heads of rural households in 10 Southern states, rural people perceived that the most serious barriers to securing employment in Southern rural areas were job shortages, lack of personal or political contacts, insufficient training or education, and lack of job information. Respondents perceived…

A study was conducted in Hawaii to determine the status of elderly persons in regard to employment, as well as attitudes toward employment of the elderly, defined in this study as aged 55 and over. Elderly persons aged 65 and over are the fastest growing segment of Hawaii's population, projected to increase from 73,700 in 1980 to 141,000 in 2000.…