Cultural Variations in Perceptions of Aging

Abstract

Aging is an inevitable aspect of the developmental process. However, all people do not age the same way; whereas some maintain considerable physical agility and robust health into the late stages of adulthood, others show obvious physical declines quite early and struggle with numerous health problems. The advent of globalization is expected to result in even greater similarities, particularly among the educated class, across cultures. Regardless of the origins of perceptions of the elderly, they influence the views people across the age strata hold about their current and future selves with respect to physical declines, social roles, anxiety about aging, living arrangements, and intergenerational relations. This chapter examines these issues in turn. One way of improving the quality of life of the elderly might involve inducing positive attitudes toward older adults by maintaining cultural practices that promote positive perceptions while changing those that tend to yield negative perceptions and unfavorable attitudes toward older citizens.

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