Subtyping Ageism

Policy Issues in Succession and Consumption

Bibliographic Data

ID12908138
AuthorsMichael S North (0000-0001-5987-1052, Princeton University, corresponding author), Susan T Fiske (0000-0002-1693-3425, Princeton University)
Year2013
Volume7
Issue1
Pages36-57
Publication date2013-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial Issues and Policy Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1751-2395 • E-ISSN: 1751-2409
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1751-2409.2012.01042.x
PMID24523829
PMCIDPMC3919636
OpenAlexW1726552360
LanguageEN
Citations received29
References cited96

Ageism research tends to lump "older people" together as one group, as do policy matters that conceptualize everyone over-65 as "senior." This approach is problematic primarily because it often fails to represent accurately a rapidly growing, diverse, and healthy older population. In light of this, we review the ageism literature, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between the still-active "young-old" and the potentially more impaired "old-old" (Neugarten, 1974). We argue that ageism theory has disproportionately focused on the old-old and differentiate the forms of age discrimination that apparently target each elder subgroup. In particular, we highlight the young-old's plights predominantly in the workplace and tensions concerning succession of desirable resources; by contrast, old-old predicaments likely center on consumption of shared resources outside of the workplace. For both social psychological researchers and policymakers, accurately subtyping ageism will help society best accommodate a burgeoning, diverse older population

Consumption (sociology · Population · Social science · Sociology · Subtyping · Aging and Gerontology Research · Health disparities and outcomes · Psychology · Retirement, Disability, and Employment · Social Psychology

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub