We Interrupt This Program To Bring You… An Analysis of the Effects of Television on College Students’ Perceptions of Aging

1. We Interrupt This Program
To Bring You… An Analysis of
the Effects of Television on
College Students’ Perceptions
of Aging
Caroline Westbrook

2. Purpose
To understand if there are gender
differences among college
students with regards to ageist
feelings and stereotypes towards
the elder population especially as
they are portrayed in the media,
specifically television.

3. Hypotheses
• Women are MORE ageist.
• People who have taken an aging studies
course are LESS ageist.
• People who have worked with older
adults are LESS ageist.
• People who watch more television have
are MORE ageist.

4. Why care?
Attitudes toward the elderly are a prominent sociological
issue in our society. Interpersonal relationships amongst
the younger population and the elder population present a
reciprocal effect on both
cohorts. Both demographics
would benefit in a better
knowledge of the perceptions
that exist about aging and
treatment toward the older
adult population.

5. What did the experts say?
• “Older people are underrepresented in commercials and
when they are featured, they are portrayed as “young-
old” (rarely bald or wrinkled). When portrayed as
characters, they are given nondescript roles. Only 1% of
television portrayals provide an overt positive view of
being old.” (Scwalkb and Sedlack 1990)
• The general consensus among the authors of the
literature on this topic is that age has a different social
meaning for men and women.

6. Sample
• 151 self administered paper and pencil surveys
distributed to a random sample of Ithaca College
students in main areas on the campus (Campus
Center & the library)

7. At what age do you consider
someone to be old?

8. Attitudes Toward Older Adults
(Operationalizing Ageism)

9. Attitudes Toward Older Adults
(Operationalizing Ageism*Gender)

10. Does education affect ageism?
(Operationalizing Ageism)

11. Does interaction with an elder affect
ageism? (Operationalizing Ageism)

12. Does Watching Television Affect
Ageism? (Operationalizing Ageism)

13. So what?
• Male college students have more ageist feelings toward
the elderly and have a more stereotypical outlook on the
elder population than females.

14. Questions for Discussion
• Why do you think that male college students have
more ageist feelings toward the elderly and have a
more stereotypical outlook on the elder population
than females?

15. Conclusions & Limitations