PARTICIPATION IN A COURSE ON AGING: KNOWLEDGE,ATTITUDES, AND ANXIETY ABOUT AGING IN ONESELF AND OTHERS

Knowledge, anxiety, and attitudes about older adults and one's own aging were assessed in 256 college students. The Facts on Aging Quiz (Palmore, 1988), the Knowledge of Aging and the Elderly Quiz (Kline, Scialfa, Stier, & Babbitt, 1990), the Anxiety about Aging Scale (Lasher & Faulkender, 1993) and the Aging Semantic Differential (Rosencranz & McNevin, 1969) were administered at the end of the semester to students enrolled in an upper level psychology course on aging and students enrolled in an introductory psychology course (who had never had a course on aging). Comparisons of those finishing the psychology of aging course and those never having taken a course on aging revealed significant differences in knowledge of aging and the elderly and attitudes toward the average 70-year-old. Interestingly, the two groups of students did not differ in personal anxiety about aging and attitudes about one's own aging. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to attitudinal judgments of oneself versus others and the differential benefits of education for attitudes and anxiety about other old adults versus attitudes and anxiety about one's own aging.     

ASSESSING CHANGES IN ATTITUDES ABOUT AGING: PERSONAL REFLECTIONS AND A STANDARDIZED MEASURE

Research has shown that learning more about successful aging and the aging process can be reflected in positive attitudinal change. Further,individuals having frequent contact with older adults generally have more positive attitudes. The purpose of the present study was to assess attitudinal change in two gerontology courses, one sophomore and one senior-level, using two methods of measurement: a standardized measure, the Aging Semantic Differential (ASD) and self-reported beliefs about older adults. A secondary goal was to facilitate meaningful interaction by requiring students to conduct a structured life-history interview with an older adult. The sample consisted of 55 students with a mean age of 27. Students completed the ASD and the self-reports at the beginning of the semester and after completing their interviews. Students also were asked to reflect upon any changes in attitude over the time period between assessments. In both classes, results of repeated measures MANOVA on the ASD indicated significant positive attitudinal change from pretest to posttest. Content analysis of self-reported beliefs provided converging validation. While students indicated classroom activities as important for attitudinal development, many specifically cited the interview activity as an influential and valuable experience.     

ATTITUDES ABOUT AGING AND GENDER AMONG YOUNG,MIDDLE AGE,AND OLDER COLLEGE-BASED STUDENTS

Using an updated version of the Aging Semantic Differential, 534 younger, middle age, and older participants from a college community rated female and male targets categorized as ages 21–34 and 75–85. Participants also provided views about their own aging. Repeated measures of analysis of variance examined attitudinal differences by age and gender of targets, and by participant age and gender. Female targets were viewed more positively than males by most rater groups. Older targets were viewed more positively by older participants than by other age groups. Older participants had more positive views about their own aging than did participants of younger or middle ages.     

CHILDREN'S ATTITUDES TOWARD THE ELDERLY AND AGING

This article describes the attitudes of children aged 3 to 11 toward the elderly and what they think about the aging process. It examines the development of the ability to discriminate aging in people as defined in Piaget's theory. Education must reach children long before 6 years of age if it is to modify their perceptions of older people and to create positive images of aging.     

INTERGENERATIONAL CONTACT,ATTITUDES, AND STEREOTYPES OF ADOLESCENTS AND OLDER PEOPLE

Contradictory findings characterize the literature on the efficacy of intergenerational programs that bring children and older persons together for joint activities to promote more positive attitudes and stereotypes. Nor is it clear whether cross-generational attitudes are negative to begin with. The research reported in this paper operationalized the constructs of attitudes and stereotypes by employing ideographic measures based on the attitude model of Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) Fishbein, M. and Ajzen, I. 1975. Belief, attitude, intention, and behavior: An introduction to theory and research, Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.  [Google Scholar] and adopted the principles of the contact hypothesis in organizing a cross-age program. Sixty-three middle school adolescents (age 11–13) were randomly assigned to cross-age contact, didactic instruction, or control conditions for a 6-week program. Overall, adolescents and older persons held generally positive attitudes and stereotypes of each other. Relative to the control group, the contact group adolescents’ attitudes toward older people became more positive. There was no change in the didactic group. Following contact, the older people showed more positive attitudes toward younger people and scored higher on a measure of life satisfaction.     

TURKISH AND U.S. ATTITUDES TOWARD AGING

As people live longer and the number of older adults increases worldwide, it becomes important to understand the factors that influence how we understand and perceive our own aging as well as how we construct our attitudes toward older adults. Although studies have indicated that later adulthood can be a healthy, productive, and satisfying time of life, ageism or prejudice and discrimination against older adults and a fear of the aging process, continues to be a widespread phenomena. The purpose of this study was to compare attitudes and anxieties toward aging of young and middle-aged men and women from the United States and Turkey. The results indicate that significant country and gender differences exist in how people feel about getting older and the age at which they consider themselves to be “old.” Contact with elders as well as education regarding the process of aging appear to have a significant impact on attitudes toward aging.     

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE,ATTITUDES, AND SOCIAL RELATIONS IN INTERGENERATIONAL COLLEGE CLASSES

Increasing acceptance of the idea of older adults returning to college campuses has raised a number of questions. Not least among the concerns are those related to classroom behavior and classroom relations. Despite the philosophical support for mixing older and younger students in college classes, limited empirical support is available to administrators who must contend with the fears of younger students and the insecurity of faculty. Therefore, this study was designed to analyze research concerning three important dimensions of the mixed classroom: academic performance, attitudes, and social relations.

Studies reported in three major gerontological journals since 1978 were reviewed. Accordingly, seven studies reported in 1980 or later were identified and analyzed. Based on the analysis, conclusions and recommendations are reported.     

ATTITUDES TOWARD THE ELDERLY: AN INTERGENERATIONAL EXAMINATION

The relationship between children's attitudes toward older people and older people's perception of children's attitudes toward them were examined using the Attitude Perception Questionnaire. Results were analyzed for 52 fifth‐ and sixth‐grade children and 52 older adults, and comparisons made on the basis of age, sex and amount of intergenerational contact. Older adults perceptions of children's attitudes toward them were more negative than the children's actual attitudes. Implications for persons involved in planning and implementing intergenerational programs are discussed.     

ATTITUDES TOWARD AGING IN ADULT AND ELDERLY PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

The main goals of the present study were (a) to investigate three components of attitudes (cognitive, affective, and behavioral) toward aging among adult and elderly people with intellectual disability ( N = 32); (b) to investigate whether there are differences, related to age and level of retardation, in conceptualization of aging; and (c) to examine how people with regular development ( N = 30) and those with intellectual disabilities ( N = 30) differ in their attitudes toward aging. Matching between the groups was according to chronological age. Results indicated that conceptualization of old age is influenced by stereotypes. Cognitively, the subjects focused on physical characteristics. Affectively, old age is seen as threatening. Behaviorally, old people are viewed as helpless and useless. Awareness and understanding of aging increase significantly with age. The scores of the adults with normal development in a semantic differential test were significantly higher than those of their counterparts. The latter focus on physical attributes or on bodily and facial expressions. Social identity theory explains these differences. Educational intervention programs are needed to prepare people with intellectual disability for the later stages of life.     

EDUCATION AND ATTITUDES TOWARD TRAINING AND PROFESSIONALISM AMONG PRACTITIONERS IN THE FIELD OF AGING

This study is based on questionnaire responses of practitioners in agencies in a nine‐county area in Ohio. Data indicate that existing levels of specialized gerontological education are low, but that practitioners tend to be supportive of further training and increased professionalism. Educators should therefore find practitioners receptive to efforts to increase gerontological knowledge and professionalism. There is some contradictory evidence, however, and the question of the desirability of increased professionalism is raised.

This paper is based on data compiled as part of a wider study on aspects of the labor force in the field of aging. The original study was funded by the Ohio Commission on Aging through a grant to the Scripps Foundation Gerontology Center, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

The author thanks Mildred M. Seltzer for her helpful comments.     

AN INTERGENERATIONAL CURRICULAR MODULE FOR TEACHING AGING APPRECIATION TO SEVENTH-GRADERS

The research reported in this paper examines the influence of a one-week curriculum module on aging appreciation of the seventh-graders. Ninety-seven students completed the introductory questionnaire, and 98 students filled out the final questionnaire. A majority of the students were 13 years of age, boys, white, and had living maternal and paternal grandparents who lived in their own homes. T-test analyses revealed that the intervention curricular module showed significant improvement with regard to age perception, number of older people known, personal attributes of older people, and involvement in activities with older people. However, scores dropped significantly for the facts on aging. Several implications for extending this work are discussed.     

WHAT ADOLESCENTS KNOW ABOUT AGING

Increasing the amount of contact with older adults is often proposed as a way to inform young people about aging. This study compares adolescents’ knowledge of aging with the amount and quality of contact they have with an older adult and compares adolescents’ knowledge of aging in 1978 with their knowledge in 1985. The results indicate that adolescents are very misinformed or uninformed about aging and older adults. Profiles of the responses on individual items from Palmore's “Facts on Aging” reveal qualitative differences associated with gender, degree of contact, and changes over time in the nature of the adolescents’ knowledge of aging. How adolescents perceive older adults and the implications this has for educational efforts are discussed.     

CHILDREN'S FEARS ABOUT PERSONAL AGING

The present study was designed to investigate the effect age has on children's attitudes toward personalaging and if anxiety over aging was a contributing factor in the development of these attitudes. A total of 206 students (108 males and 98 females), ranging in age from 9-17 participated in this study.The participants were drawn from a religious education program for public school students and a parochial elementary school in a central Massachusetts town. The participants showed little real concern over the prospect of aging. Some differences were seen on the four subsets of the scale used. The participant's age was the most salient predictor in the assessment of attitudes toward personal aging. A close relationship with a grandparent contributed to positive attitudes and lessened fear of older adults.     

CHILDREN'S ATTITUDES TOWARD THE ELDERLY: AN INTERGENERATIONAL TECHNIQUE FOR CHANGE

This investigation examined changes in children's perceptions of the elderly following an intervention in the frequency of contact that school‐aged children had with old people. Elderly persons served as tutors in a reading tutorial program for a period of two months. Pre‐and postintervention measures of attitudes and reading skills were taken from the children; measures of morale were obtained among the elderly sample. Evaluations of the program were also provided by the elderly, the children, school principals, and teachers. An analysis of variance revealed a significant interaction effect of group by test, suggesting that even a relatively brief intervention can modify children's perceptions of the aged. Although there were no significant changes in the responses of the elderly subjects as measured by objective questionnaires, the majority of the tutors reported that they were happier and felt more involved in the community while working in the program.     

EDUCATION ABOUT AGING FOR NIGERIAN ADOLESCENTS

This study reports an investigation of the perceptions of Nigerian adolescents concerning problems of different classes of older adults in Nigeria. A sample of 1,063 students from secondary schools and universities completed a questionnaire about adult life in Nigeria. Results show that the primary sources of information about aging are personal observation and instructions from community elders, friends, and peer groups. It was also found that both the educated and illiterate aged in elite communities are perceived to have more serious problems. Of the students surveyed, 55% prefer to grow old in traditional communities. It is suggested that aging education be provided in secondary schools and universities so that students may acquire adequate knowledge of problems and issues affecting older adult life.     

EDUCATION ABOUT AGING: A RATIONALE

Based on a review of studies on children's and adolescents’ attitudes and conceptions about aging and older people and on studies analyzing media content such as children's literature, textbooks, and public television programs to determine how older persons are portrayed, a rationale is provided for systematic education about aging in the public schools of the United States.     

ATTITUDES TOWARD AGING AMONG PACIFIC ISLANDER HEALTH STUDENTS IN FIJI

The relation between attitudes to aging and cultural values is a complex one. This study contrasts attitudes to aging among Pacific Islander students with attitudes in a comparable Australian sample. Australian society is represented as ageist, whereas Pacific Islander cultures are reported to be age-inclusive. Attitudes were assessed using the Reactions to Ageing Questionnaire, and data also were collected on levels of intimate contact with older people, said to be related to attitude. A comparison of Australian with Pacific Islander data showed no difference in attitude or degree of intimate contact. Within the Pacific Islander sample indigenous Fijians had significantly more positive attitudes than did Indo-Fijians and significantly more intimate contact. Indo-Fijians, but not indigenous Fijians, also were significantly more negative in attitude than Australian students. Educators aiming to incorporate gerontological knowledge and to challenge ageism in the curriculum should not assume student attitudes are congruent with traditional cultural beliefs. They need to be knowledgeable about and sensitive to differences among various cultural groups within the student population, especially where those students will have the health care of the old in their hands in the future.     

INTERGENERATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND ONTOLOGICAL CHANGE

The phenomenological concept of ontological change, or change in self‐understanding, is used to structure an analysis of the experiential impact of a college‐based, intergenerational service‐learning project. The semester‐long project aimed to create interpersonal, intergenerational situations in which students (N = 12) could experience for themselves the lack of fit between their inherited assumptions regarding aging and the actual meaning of aging as experienced by elders. Content analysis of students’ journals indicated that students experienced four temporally distinct types of experiences during the project. Students entered the project with an understanding as to how they should interact with their companions based on inherited assumptions regarding aging and the elderly (anticipation experiences). In the presence of their companions, however, the students’ assumptions were revealed as inappropriate and incapable of adequately guiding them in their interactions (personal‐conflict experiences). To alleviate the awkwardness experienced in the field, students had to reevaluate their understanding of themselves and their role in their intergenerational relationship and identify changes they could make to improve their intergenerational relationships (reevaluation experiences). Ten of 12 students reported effecting positive changes in their relationships after redefining their role vis‐à‐vis their companions (transposition experiences). Phenomenological theory provides (a) insight into the type of intergenerational relationships conducive to combating ageism and (b) a framework (journal content analysis) for assessing the experiential impact of program participation.     

INTERGENERATIONAL LEARNING AND FAMILY HARMONY

Planning educational programs for older persons should be based on identifying things they do well and determining knowledge and behaviors that younger family members would like them to acquire. This strategy prevents the common problem of adopting inappropriate programs that may be considered successful in other environments or societies. Three generational studies of families in China and the United States are described to illustrate differences in perception about grandparents across cultures and between generations within societies. Guidelines and curriculum topics are recommended for several target populations to help them achieve family harmony.     

INTERGENERATIONAL LEARNING AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Changes have occurred in the sources of learning and scope of thinking that children are expected to rely on. Corresponding changes are also necessary in the education of adults to ensure that intergenerational relationships are satisfying, particularly within families. A rationale for the education of grandparents is presented along with the format of an innovative and practical program. Elements of the grandparent curriculum include sharing feelings and ideas with peers, listening to the perspective of young people, studying life‐span personal development, improving family communication skills, and focusing self‐evaluation on relevant behavior. Each of these components is described in terms of eocpected benefits.