Subject:
Sociology
Material Type:
Module
Level:
Community College / Lower Division
Provider:
Ohio Open Ed Collaborative
Tags:
  • Oss0212
  • Sociology
  • License:
    Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial
    Language:
    English
    Media Formats:
    Text/HTML

    Identify traditions and stereotypes of aging and the elderly

    Overview

    OER Text Material

    Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World, Chapter 12: “Aging and the Elderly”

    The perception of aging can vary from one society to another, and it can also change over time within any given society. Gerontologists have investigated these cross-cultural and historical differences. By understanding aging in other societies and also in our past, they say, we can better understand aging in our own society. To acquaint you with “other ways of growing old” (Amoss & Harrell, 1981), we discuss briefly some of the cross-cultural and historical evidence on the perception and experience of aging.

    Supplemental Material (Videos and Reading)

    1. "Getting Rid of Stereotypes and Bias about Aging" by Judith Graham (article from the Washington Post, November 4, 2017)
       
    2. “Ageism: ​The Strange Case of Prejudice Against the Older You” [DONT HAVE WORKING LINK] by Todd D. Nelson (article, PDF)
       
    3. Age Discrimination​ Food Truck Experiment | AARP | Disrupt Aging (YouTube video, published on Mar 2, 2016)
      Every day age discrimination happens behind closed doors. We wanted to see what it would look like if we brought it out into the open. So, we set up a social experiment with the help of a food truck. We disguised an actress as an employee and refused to serve anyone over 40. Watch our hidden cameras and tell us how you would react in the comments below. #DisruptAging