Many people hold negative attitudes toward older adults, and these attitudes often are associated with negative behavior toward the old. To explore the behavioral correlates of attitudes toward the elderly, 105 male and female college students, with a mean age of 24.5 years, participated in a two-phase experiment. During phase one, all subjects…

This monograph contains papers from the Switzer Seminar on issues regarding the problems of aging, disabilities, and rehabilitation. It is intended for use by rehabilitation counselors, psychologists, gerontologists, researchers, administrators, consumers, legislators, and others interested in providing better services to Americans growing older.…

Intended for journalists, this sourcebook contains background information on aging and the problems of the aged. Arranged into two major parts, the sourcebook contains 10 chapters. The first part provides a summary of facts and ideas that should be known to reporters whose stories are related directly or indirectly to aging. Chapter 1 makes the…

One hundred-seventy elementary school children in Western Pennsylvania were involved in a pilot study to examine young children's views on aging and the elderly. Approximately half of these children were involved in the Senior Citizen School Volunteer Program which provided consistent classroom contact with a senior citizen resource person. The…

Analyzes the content of stories in several basal reading systems widely used in primary grade reading instruction, in terms of the relative frequency of main characters who are elderly, the quality of characterizations of elderly characters, the incidence of aging themes, and incidental references to aging or the elderly. Indicates few positive…

Presented 192 clinical psychologists with clinical vignettes in which client ages varied. Respondents rated older depressed and older agoraphobic clients as significantly less ideal than younger clients with identical symptoms and histories. Older depressed and manic clients also were given significantly poorer prognoses than younger clients.…

The Age Discrimination Study by the Commission on Civil Rights and investigations by agencies for the aging indicated that older minority group members (1) were often victims of both age and racial/ethnic discrimination in federally funded programs, (2) were underserved, and (3) were seldom represented in planning for services for the elderly.…

Two-hundred and seventy-five service providers in a rural location with a high concentration of older people (age 60+) were queried about types of needs, obstacles to learning, and program development. While instrumental needs are generally recognized, need perception is based on occupational orientation, though age and number of contact hours are…

Popular images of middle-aged and older women seldom include the image of women as workers. But paid work is extremely important in the lives of many older women. However, they face problems of unequal compensation, occupational segregation, and age and sex discrimination. (SK)

Argues that ageism fosters oppressive social relations directed at, and constructed in, images of the aged body. Researchers must sensitize themselves to historical and geographical variations of ageism, should focus on the contested nature of the aged body and associated identities, and must reject attempts at universalizing scholarship. (RJM)

Reviews data on the rapid growth of the older population in Australia. Describes the aims and content of gerontological education, highlighting the importance of destroying myths. Describes the educational opportunities available for older people, exploring the University of the Third Age model. (DMM)

This study considered two types of age discrimination (youth and elder) and related scale scores for 108 psychology students and 81 nursing students. The current study found that although the nursing students had a significantly larger number of courses related to aging, both nursing and psychology students reported low levels of age…

Several conceptualizations and definitions of retirement have been proposed. One of them--the three-stage transition process--can be illustrated from studies in Israel: (1) leaving the old role; (2) going through the act of formal separation; and (3) adjusting to the new situation and role. Today's higher rate of survival into later years means…

This fact sheet provides statistics on various aspects of the special concern of midlife and older women in the labor force. It looks at the number of such women in the work force, marital status, displaced homemakers, and occupational categories represented by these women. Other areas of consideration are the cost-effectiveness of hiring older…

As the incidence of older persons in American society grows, their participation in training and employment programs (including vocational education) will be of special importance. Although the elderly population has become increasingly "older," this group is retiring earlier. There will be a decrease in active workers supporting retired…