Investigating Attitudes Toward Age Groups

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Investigating Attitudes toward Age Groups
A survey involving 10 participants was conducted to find out three words or terms that come into their mind when they think of the following age groups: children, teenagers, middle-aged adults and senior citizens. The following table summarizes the findings:
Children Teenagers Middle-aged adults Senior citizens
1st participant Lovely (P)
Playful (O)
Inquisitive (O) Rebellious (N)
Emotional (N)
Unpredictable(N) Mature (P)
Ambitious (P)
Sensitive (O) Wise(P)
Slow (N)
Weak(N)
2nd participant Playful (O)
Cheeky (O)
Lovable (P) Emotional (N)
Adventurous (P)
social (P)
Hard-working (P)
Strong(P)
Mature(P) Sickly(N)
Weak(N)
Dependent(N)
3rd participant Noisy (N)
Manipulative (N)
Inquisitive (N) Hormonal (O)
Energetic (P)
Risk-taking (O) Mid-life crisis (N)
Family (O)
Menopause (O)
Lonely(N)
Slow (N)
Dependent(N)
4th participant Tender (P)
Innocent (P)
Lovely (P) Unpredictable (N)
Rebellious (N)
Emotional (N) Strong (P)
Independent(P)
Parents(P) Dependent(N)
Wise (P)
Less active(N)
5th participant Lovely (P)
Innocent (P)
Sweet (P) Energetic (P)
Explorers (P)
Maturing (P) Hard-working(P)
Mature(P)
Responsible(P) Weak(N)
Less active(N)
Sickly(N)
6th participant Sweet (P)
Tender (P)
Lovable (P) Emotional (N)
Risk-seeking (N)
Unstable (N) Responsible(P)
Experienced(P)
Mature(P) Lonely(N)
Dependent(N)
Less active(N)
7th participant Unpredictable (N)
Innocent (P)
Fragile (O)
Emotional (N)
Rebellious (N)
Independent (P) Lively(P)
Mature (P)
Independent(P) Wise(P)
Insightful(P)
Lovable(P)
8th participant Sweet (P)
Immature (N)
Innocent (P)
Independent (P)
Hard-headed (N)
Adventurous (O) Mature (P)
Independent(P)
Ambitious(P) Vulnerable(N)
Dependent (N)
Weak(N)
9th participant Stupid (N)
Demanding (N)
Noisy (N) Social (P)
Emotional (N)
Unpredictable (N) Hardworking(P)
Independent(P)
Mid-life crisis (N) Weak(N)
Lovable (P)
Wise(P)
The 10th participant Lovable (P)
Sweet (P)
Innocent (P) Energetic (P)
Independent (P)
Rebellious (N) Strong (P)
Independent(P)
Mature(P) Insightful (P)
Wise (P)
Vulnerable(N)
P- 17, N-8, O-5 P-11, N-16, O-3 P-25, N-2, O-3 P-9, N-21, O-0
Discussion
For children, most of the words that the participants mentioned were positive.

Out of the 30 words, 17 were positive. For teenagers, most of the words mentioned by the participants were negative while middle-aged adults were identified mostly by positive words. For senior citizens, the participants mostly identified them with negative words, with 21 out of the possible 30 words that came to their mind being negative.
As one moves across the age groups, the words keep fluctuating between positive and negative. For children, most of the words are positive, but as one moves to teenagers, the words get more negative. Moving on towards middle aged-adults, the words get more positive but then start getting negative when one moves to senior citizens.
Most of the words identified by the participants were stereotypes. The age-related stereotypes often emerge out of long-held assumptions in different cultures (Boduroglu et al. 324). At each stage of life, adverse stereotypes often tend to bring about alienation and conflict among the members of each age group.
Works Cited
Boduroglu, Aysecan, et al. “Age-related stereotypes: A comparison of American and Chinese cultures.” Gerontology 52.5 (2006): 324-333.