Abstract
Mainstream North American media promotes the message that attaining a thin, youthful appearance is central to a woman’s value
and social role while appearing older is highly undesirable. However, appearance ideals and attitudes toward aging differ
substantially across cultural and ethnic groups, which may influence the degree to which one internalizes media ideals and
holds anti-aging attitudes. Consequently, this study examined the relationships between internalization of the youthful, thin-ideal
appearance perpetuated by mainstream North American media and attitudes toward the elderly in a sample of 281 undergraduate
females under the age of 30 attending a university in the Western United States. Specifically, European American (n = 115), Asian American/Pacific Islander (n = 74), Hispanic/Latina (n = 52), and African American (n = 42) women voluntarily completed self-report measures of internalization of media ideals and attitudes towards older adults.
Attitudes towards the elderly were significantly more negative at higher levels of internalization of North American appearance
ideals, independent of ethnicity. These data suggest that internalization of North American appearance ideals perpetuated
by media are related to negative attitudes towards older adults. Future research should investigate the influence of negative
attitudes about aging on behaviors toward older adults or one’s own aging process.
and social role while appearing older is highly undesirable. However, appearance ideals and attitudes toward aging differ
substantially across cultural and ethnic groups, which may influence the degree to which one internalizes media ideals and
holds anti-aging attitudes. Consequently, this study examined the relationships between internalization of the youthful, thin-ideal
appearance perpetuated by mainstream North American media and attitudes toward the elderly in a sample of 281 undergraduate
females under the age of 30 attending a university in the Western United States. Specifically, European American (n = 115), Asian American/Pacific Islander (n = 74), Hispanic/Latina (n = 52), and African American (n = 42) women voluntarily completed self-report measures of internalization of media ideals and attitudes towards older adults.
Attitudes towards the elderly were significantly more negative at higher levels of internalization of North American appearance
ideals, independent of ethnicity. These data suggest that internalization of North American appearance ideals perpetuated
by media are related to negative attitudes towards older adults. Future research should investigate the influence of negative
attitudes about aging on behaviors toward older adults or one’s own aging process.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Article
- Pages 1-9
- DOI 10.1007/s11199-011-0102-6
- Authors
- Amanda Haboush, Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Box 455030, Las Vegas, NV 89154-5030, USA
- Cortney S. Warren, Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Box 455030, Las Vegas, NV 89154-5030, USA
- Lorraine Benuto, Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Box 455030, Las Vegas, NV 89154-5030, USA
- Journal Sex Roles
- Online ISSN 1573-2762
- Print ISSN 0360-0025