Eradication of Ageism Requires Addressing the Enemy Within

Extract

Decision Editor: Laurence G. Branch, PhD

Dr. Palmore 2001 Ageism Survey is a much-needed contribution toward creating awareness about a form of prejudice and discrimination that has been largely ignored by our society. However, the survey omits measuring two components of ageism that have emerged from a series of recent findings. These studies have found that ageism can operate (a) implicitly, or without awareness, and (b) in the form of aging self-stereotypes, or older individuals' beliefs about the elderly population. To achieve Dr. Palmore's goal of establishing an "‘epidemiology of ageism’ as a first step toward its eradication," it seems that these two components might warrant consideration.

Implicit Ageism

The groundwork for current studies of implicit ageism was laid more than one hundred years ago by William James's studies of automatic processes and Sigmund Freud's exploration of the unconscious. Recent social psychological research has employed new techniques for studying these phenomena. Although the studies on implicit prejudice have focused on racism and sexism, a growing number examine the operation of implicit ageism.