THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN'S ATTITUDES TOWARD THE AGED.
Item
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Title
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THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN'S ATTITUDES TOWARD THE AGED.
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Identifier
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AAI8212196
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identifier
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8212196
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Creator
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ISAACS, LEORA W.
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Contributor
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David J. Bearison | Geoffrey Saxe
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Date
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1982
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Developmental
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Abstract
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The present study sought to determine whether young children already demonstrate the negative agist stereotypes and attitudes common among older children, adolescents and adults.;In the present study, the development of agist attitudes, as reflected in children's responses to the Social Attitude Scale of Agist Prejudice (SASAP) as well as in their actual interactions with old people was studied. Both the effects of children's level of cognitive development and the frequency and nature of their contact with old people were related to their agist attitudes. Subjects were 144 four, six and eight year old middle-class Caucasian children.;Results of the SASAP indicated that, when the scores of all subjects were pooled, significant levels of agist prejudice were demonstrated. When considered by age group, although four year olds did not show significant levels of agist prejudice on the SASAP, they distanced themselves socially more from aged than non-aged adults. By ages six and eight, children began to demonstrate negative beliefs and feelings about the aged on the SASAP as well as in social interactions with aged compared to non-aged adults. Eight year olds showed more elaboration of beliefs and greater agreement between attitudes and behaviors.;The results of both the SASAP and behavioral measures indicated that women were more susceptible to the devaluation accompanying old age than were men. Also, although the aged were evaluated negatively regarding their abilities, the negative personality characteristics attributed to them seemed more important in eliciting agist prejudice.;Children's SASAP scores correlated significantly with scores on some behavioral measures, but children's expressed attitudes and behaviors were not always consistent. When they differed, children were more likely to express negative attitudes indirectly in their responses to the SASAP than in face-to-face contact.;Present results suggested that although level of cognitive development may be important in determining how children form concepts about the aged, the frequency and nature of their experience with aged individuals is important in preducting what those attitudes will be.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Educational Psychology
