Pervasive age bias in media against middle aged and elderly wome

Through a sociocultural examination of the origins of ageism and ageist stereotypes, this thesis will explore the pervasiveness of age bias within various media against older female adults in middle age and beyond. Research shows that the pervasiveness of negative images, tropes, and frames regarding the middle-aged and elderly women suggest that how the elderly are depicted and perceived by others and themselves may lead to reduced efficacy and lower self-esteem in the mid-life and elder age cohorts, decreased job opportunities, and subpar health care. There is also evidence that ageism is gendered, that is, more negative attributes of aging and less positive attributes accrue to females. The justification for exploring ageism includes a society increasingly made up of midlife and elderly persons, the fact that women live on average longer than males, and the health and wellbeing of this population which has economic implications for the young as both caregivers and dependents. Research by Becca Levy (2002) showed that people with negative attitudes about aging live about 7.5 years less than those with more positive attitudes (Levy, Slade, Kunke, & Kasl, 2002) as cited in Harwood (2007). These negative expectations may impact whether they seek out medical care or positive social support (Harwood, 2007). The literature available on the effects of ageism on the senior cohort aged 50 and beyond indicates an urgent need to view age bias and discrimination as a public health and human rights issue. According to George Gerbner's Cultivation Theory, heavy consumers of television over time, develop distorted or exaggerated beliefs in alignment with what they have seen. This thesis seeks to demonstrate how cultivation theory contributes to the reinforcement of ageist attitudes through media, and how those attitudes, in turn, impact upon the self-concept of older women. Random internet surveys of women 50 and older will then be conducted to learn about their viewing habits and attitudes. Much emphasis has been placed on how younger people view older people, this thesis examines older women and how they experience aging, and the role that media play in shaping that experience.