Chapter 12 Flashcards
good chart on pg 552
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adultism
One possibility is adultism, the “systematic subordination of younger people as a targeted group, who have relatively little opportunity to exercise social power”
Aesthetic anxiety r
epresents the “fears engendered by persons whose appearance deviates markedly from the usual human form or includes physical traits regarded as unappealing” (p. 42). This type of anxiety is strongly linked to cultural beliefs about people with disabilities and about the qualities associated with people who are “whole” and “fit” (Dunn, 2015). Often, these associations lead people to shun people with disabilities, whom they see as physically unattractive.
Existential anxiety
is “the perceived threat that a disability could interfere with functional capacities deemed necessary to the pursuit of a satisfactory life” (p. 43). This type of anxiety leads to the belief that people with disabilities are helpless or dependent, is related to the fear of losing one’s own physical abilities, and can prompt people to think about their own mortality
mental illness
A mental illness is a diagnosable condition that “affect[s] a person’s thinking, feeling, mood or behavior, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia
Ageism occurs when people are judged negatively simply because of their advanced age. There are definite advantages to aging, but
the expectation that people should age successfully can result in backlash against those who do not.
Forgetfulness and aging are viewed as going hand in hand, but people are sometimes more
forgiving of forgetfulness in older people. Younger people’s fear of death is related to ageism, but older people are less judgmental when reminded of death.
Both negative and positive subtypes of older people exist and evaluations of members of these subtypes differ. There appears to be a double standard of aging:
People believe that women reach middle and old age sooner than men and that physical decline begins at a younger age for women than men.
Age-based discrimination is a significant problem. Older adults are largely absent from
television, film, and advertisements and they often appear in stereotypic roles. Even so, these depictions often represent positive subtypes of older adults
In the workplace, older adults face difficulties in both seeking a job and being accepted at their job. Employers believe
that older adults are less productive than their younger counterparts, although research shows this is an erroneous perception. Stereotypic expectations also may affect the quality of health care older adults receive.
Age-based discrimination is also reflected in
patronizing speech or elderspeak, with people using different voice tones and rates of speech when talking to older people. Although this speech pattern may have positive effects, it is generally viewed as demeaning.
Older adults who have positive stereotypes about aging do better on
short-term tasks, such as solving puzzles; a positive view of aging has long-term benefits as well.
Young people can also experience prejudice and discrimination based on their
age, although limited research has been conducted on this issue.
Perhaps because of anxiety over the possibility of becoming disabled, disability is a stigmatized condition. However, as with other stigmas, disabilities perceived to be controllable are viewed
more negatively than those perceived to be uncontrollable.
On explicit attitude measures, people report fairly positive attitudes toward persons with physical disabilities, but more negative attitudes emerge on implicit attitude measures. Attitudes depend on
the nature of the disability and the context in which interactions with disabled people take place. People are less positive about close personal contact with people with disabilities than about working with them.
People with disabilities are often addressed with
patronizing language and receive unneeded help based on the assumption that they need special consideration.
A number of strategies can improve communication between people with disabilities and people without disabilities.
The most effective strategies involve direct and frank communication; experience interacting with people with disabilities also helps.
Attitudes toward persons with mental illness are generally more negative than
attitudes toward persons with physical disability because mental illness is associated with danger and unpredictability. Persons with mental illness commonly experience discrimination based on their health status; unfortunately, the mental health stigma prevents many from seeking effective treatment.
Attractive people are judged more positively than less attractive people although they also are seen as v
vain and egotistical. Attractiveness is generally seen as more important for women than for men and this difference carries into old age.
Tall people are viewed more positively than shorter people; they also earn
more money and are more likely to fill leadership positions in society. Height is an advantage for both women and men.
One of the most stigmatized groups is people who are perceived to be overweight. People hold a number of negative stereotypes about people who are
overweight and believe that weight should be controllable. Because people who are overweight are thought to violate important social values, people believe it is socially acceptable to derogate them for being overweight.
People who are perceived to be overweight experience discrimination in many settings, including
everyday activities such as shopping, health care, and in the workplace.
