It is important to address quality of life issues, such as education participation, with a growing aging population. The focus for the present research was on possible reactions among a broad age range of nontraditional learners. The present study found significant aging-related issues in perceived willingness to be involved in math-related…

Education about sexuality is one method of reducing common negative stereotypes about this aspect of the life of older people. Knowledge and attitudes toward sexuality are therefore particularly important in those who educate healthcare professionals. We surveyed schools of medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, and…

Previous research suggests that seniors' short-term performance is affected by stereotype threat--defined as a situation in which an individual is at risk of confirming a negative characterization about one's group. The current study attempted to replicate and extend these findings to areas of cognitive and physical functioning considered…

Research suggests there is a connection between stereotypes, beliefs, and behavior in older individuals. To explore this link of stereotypes affecting beliefs and beliefs affecting behavior, we interviewed young (age 60 to 75) seniors in an effort to further examine these relationships. Semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with 20…

Seniors are routinely subjected to negative stereotypes regarding their physical and cognitive abilities. The power and prevalence of cultural stereotypes of aging essentially results in a "double-whammy" to seniors. First, they influence the way that seniors are treated by society. Second, cultural stereotypes affect how seniors see…

Asserting that both humanistic and manpower considerations dictate that we address the aging process, this article describes the characteristics of older adults and illustrates the way in which they may be allowed to remain productive. Maslow's "Need Hierarchy" and Thorndike's "Theory of Developmental Tasks" are applied to the…

The negative stereotype of the aged vanishes when older adults are educated, affluent, and healthy. Anecdotal replies indicated many older adults are satisfied with their lives, do not feel old or useless, and feel activity is the key to happiness. (Author/JAC)

Investigated age preferences of older adults (61-89 years) for individuals with whom a relationship may potentially affect life satisfaction. Photographs of young, middle-aged, and old adults were rated by 33 older persons. Found older adults showed preferences for old and middle-aged individuals. (Author)

Negative attitudes and stereotypic behaviors directed at the elderly were decreased among 49 seventh- and eighth-grade gifted students who participated in an intergenerational practicum in which student conducted reminscence interviews with elderly persons about significant events in their lives and learned about issues facing the aged. (CB)

Defines personal well-being as closely related to the congruence between what is expected by an individual as appropriate and what he perceives as actually happening. Suggests that through appropriate expectations old people are contributing to their own well-being. (Author)

The guide is designed to help educators integrate the study of aging into the high school curriculum. Objectives are to promote and support the study of aging and the aging process, dispel popular misconceptions surrounding aging, aid educators in establishing programs with, by, and for seniors, and provide a list of helpful resource groups.…

The 1980's may be remembered as the decade of the older woman, due in part to demographics and also to public awareness heightened by the women's movement. If psychology is to exert a constructive force towards the optimization of mental health of older women, it is essential for psychologists to be aware of the limits of current knowledge and the…

Older learners are often led into adult education by a quest for self-development and the wish to make meaning of the human experience. Adult educators should explore and appreciate the process of human development in the last stage. In old age there can be a merging of the knowledge of the body (life's stories) and of the spirit (developmental…

Thirteen lessons on aging in America, appropriate for the secondary school level, are presented. Each lesson is designed to take approximately one day and includes the goal, objectives, background information, reproducible student handouts, materials and equipment needed, procedures, and evaluation forms. In the first lesson students examine their…