Open AccessConceptions and tendencies of age discrimination and attitudes towards older people in selected regions in Finland and Sweden
Author(s) -
Fredrik Snellman,
Mikael Nygård,
Susanne Jungerstam
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
nordic journal of social research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1892-2783
DOI - 10.7577/njsr.2070
Subject(s) - eurobarometer , conceptualization , negotiation , psychology , politics , older people , age discrimination , rhetoric , social psychology , sociology , gerontology , social science , political science , european union , medicine , linguistics , philosophy , law , business , economic policy
This study aims to access and explore tendencies in the conceptualization of age discrimination and the perceived attitudes towards older people in regions of Finland and Sweden. The analysis draws on GERDA survey data (GErontological Regional DAtabase), a repeated cross-sectional study in which data was collected in 2005 and 2010. The results indicate that the conceptions of age discrimination are changing in a positive direction, which is contrary to results shown in the Eurobarometer. On the basis of balance coefficients we show that conceived attitudes towards older people are changing as well, except for individuals in some sub-groups. We discuss the role of political rhetoric in relation to ageing awareness, the (non)individualization of society and the negotiation of age relations as tentative interpretations that strongly challenge the observed empirical tendencies.