OLDER ADULTS' PERCEPTIONS OF OFFENSIVE SENIOR STEREOTYPES IN MAGAZINE ADVERTISEMENTS: RESULTS OF A Q METHOD ANALYSIS

Abstract

This study employs Q methodology and personal interviews to explore how a group of older adults rank magazine advertisements that feature a variety of potentially offensive and harmful older stereotypes. Three different factors emerged from the Q sorts, and they were labeled "The Moralists," "The Jesters," and "The Beautiful People." Participants found ad stereotypes that portrayed older adults as being out of touch, objects of ridicule, difficult, and unattractive to be offensive. Stereotypes of real problems associated with aging and older individuals, and positively dealing with these issues were deemed non-offensive. Personal interviews revealed older adults to be concerned about the amount of offensive and harmful stereotypes used to portray their generation.