Ageism refers to prejudice and discrimination against people who share a common characteristic – in this case, old age. The World Health Organization defines it as “the stereotypes, prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination towards others or oneself based on age.”
The term was coined in 1968 by Dr. Robert Butler, the first director of the National Institute on Aging.
Deeper dive
Children as young as 4 years old become aware of their culture’s age stereotypes. They begin to internalize and use these stereotypes to guide their feelings and behavior towards people of different ages. They also draw on culture’s age stereotypes to perceive and understand themselves, which can result in self-directed ageism at any age. Ageism intersects and exacerbates other forms of disadvantage including those related to sex, race and disability, according to the WHO.
A report from the World Economic Forum suggests that there are four types of ageism: personal, institutional, intentional and unintentional.
● Personal ageism – making assumptions based on conscious or unconscious biases against older people, such as assuming an older person in a wheelchair is less than competent mentally.
● Institutional ageism – missions, rules and practices that discriminate against individuals and/or groups because of their older age. Some examples are4 bias against hiring older workers or movies that depict older people as irritating, decrepit and pitiable.
● Intentional Ageism – ideas, attitudes, rules or practices that are carried out with the knowledge that they are biased against individuals or groups because of their age. This includes practices that exploit the vulnerabilities of older people.
● Unintentional (inadvertent) ageism – ideas, attitudes, rules or practices that are carried out without the perpetrator’s awareness that they are biased against individuals or groups based on their older age.
The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 prohibits age discrimination in programs that receive federal financial assistance. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 prohibits job discrimination against people 40 and older. The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act amended ADEA to protect older workers’ employees benefits and define conditions under which they could be changed. In a recent Q&A, geriatrician and psychologist Tracey Gendron, PhD, Chair for the Virginia Commonwealth University Department of Gerontology, and author of Ageism Unmasked, explained how ageism permeates society and how journalists can become more aware of inadvertent age-bias in their reporting and writing.
FAQs
Ageism is defined as discrimination against older people because of negative and inaccurate stereotypes—and it's so ingrained in our culture that we often don't even notice.
Which is an example of ageism? ›
Examples of ageism stereotypes are: Older people cannot take care of themselves. They are sickly and belong in nursing homes. They cannot make decisions for themselves.
What is an example of age shaming? ›
Signs of age discrimination
- Hearing Age-Related Comments or Insults. ...
- Being Overlooked for Challenging Work Assignments. ...
- Becoming Isolated or Left Out. ...
- Getting Turned Down For a Promotion.
Ageism refers to prejudice, discrimination, and stereotyping against someone based on his or her age. While it can refer to prejudice against younger persons, ageism, as the term is used by most researchers, typically refers to prejudice against older persons.
How does ageism affect people? ›
It can contribute to cognitive decline, more hospital stays, disability, worse health and quality of life, and depression. Over the long term, these attitudes shorten lives. “Ageism is probably the most under-recognized unconscious bias,” said Sonja Rosen, MD, chief of Geriatrics at Cedars-Sinai.
What is an example of ageism in everyday life? ›
Some examples of age discrimination include: You're denied a job or fired simply because of your age. You're overlooked for promotion due to your age. You're harassed or taunted by coworkers about your age.
What are the three kinds of ageism? ›
"Ageism can operate both consciously (explicitly) and unconsciously (implicitly), and it can be expressed at three different levels: micro-level (individual), meso-level (social networks) and macro-level (institutional and cultural).
What are common ageism phrases? ›
Language to avoid
- Don't use words that may have negative connotations, such as “the aged,” “elderly,” “senior,” “senior citizen,” and “boomer.”
- Avoid the term “elders” except when referencing American Indian/Alaska Natives, for whom this term may be preferred and culturally appropriate.
refusing to hire people over or under a certain age. asking for someone's age at a job interview when it is not relevant to the work. enacting policies that unfairly privilege one age group over another. viewing older people as out of touch, less productive, or stuck in their ways.
What is an example of ageist comments? ›
A prime example of this is hearing negative comments at your workplace. For example, many workers may call older employees backward or senile. Your boss may also refer to you as naïve when discussing the latest industrial trends. You may also raise issues on subjects that younger employees may avoid talking about.
Ageism occurs across various sectors and industries, but specific fields are more vulnerable to it than others.
- Technology Industry. ...
- Physical or Manual Industries. ...
- Media Industry.
Ageism is defined as discrimination against older people because of negative and inaccurate stereotypes—and it's so ingrained in our culture that we often don't even notice. Most organizations now have diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) departments to tackle issues such as racism and gender bias.
Why is ageism toxic? ›
Internalising ageist attitudes impacts our own behaviours
People who feel negatively about ageing are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviours such as smoking and drinking and to have poor eating and exercise habits.
What is a bad result of ageism? ›
Ageism may have harmful effects on the psychological well-being of older adults, leading to mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety.
What does ageism look like? ›
It can take three main forms: Stereotypes, or preconceived beliefs about the ways age affects interests, personality, and abilities. Prejudice, which might involve feelings of disdain, dislike, pity, and irritation. Discrimination, or behaviors that harm, belittle, or isolate people because of their age.
What is ageism Quizlet? ›
ageism. a process of systematic stereotyping and discrimination again people because they are old - more broadly defined as any prejudice/discrimination against or in favor of an age group.
What is an example of ageism in aged care? ›
“Speaking slowly and loudly to an older person, or making a comment like 'you look good for your age' are based on implicit biases about older age. “These attitudes by aged care workers can lead to not taking older people seriously or missing the signs for underlying health problems.”
What are examples of ageism words? ›
Language to avoid
For example: Don't use words that may have negative connotations, such as “the aged,” “elderly,” “senior,” “senior citizen,” and “boomer.”
