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The Risks of Ageism Model: How Ageism and Negative Attitudes toward Age Can Be a Barrier to Active Aging
Author(s) -
Swift Hannah J.,
Abrams Dominic,
Lamont Ruth A.,
Drury Lisbeth
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
social issues and policy review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.798
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1751-2409
pISSN - 1751-2395
DOI - 10.1111/sipr.12031
Subject(s) - stereotype (uml) , psychology , age discrimination , successful aging , active ageing , stereotype threat , social psychology , gerontology , older people , developmental psychology , political science , medicine , law
The World Health Organization's (WHO) active aging framework recognizes that age barriers and ageism need to be removed in order to increase potential for active aging. However, there has been little empirical analysis of ways in which ageism and attitudes toward age impact on active aging. This article sets out the Risks of Ageism Model (RAM) to show how ageism and attitudes toward age can impact the six proposed determinants of active aging via three pathways; (1) stereotype embodiment, the process through which stereotypes are internalized and become self‐relevant, (2) stereotype threat, the perceived risk of conforming to negative stereotypes about one's group, and (3) age discrimination, unfair treatment based on age. Active aging policies are likely to be more successful if they attend to these three pathways when challenging ageism and negative attitudes toward age.