Ageism 2005ISBN: 978-1-4051-3944-1
Paperback
208 pages
August 2005, Wiley-Blackwell
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Humans automatically categorize others in social perception. Some
categorizations race, gender, and age -- are so automatic
that they are termed "primitive categories." As we categorize, we
develop stereotypes about the categories. Researchers know much
about racism and sexism, but comparatively little about prejudice
based on age. The papers in this issue highlight the current
empirical and theoretical work on understanding the origins and
consequences of stereotyping and prejudice against older
adults.
With the aging baby boomer demographic, it is especially timely for researchers to work to understand how society can shed its institutionalized ageism and promote respect for elders.