| The thesis is an exploration into the popularization of the buzzwords“youni”(油腻“greasy”)and“youni zhongnian”(油腻中年“the greasy middle-aged adults”)on China’s social media,and then utilizes two stereotype studies and one narrative interview study,to 1)explore and compare the content of stereotypes of the middle-aged adults by both younger(i.e.outgroup)and middle-aged(i.e.in-group)adults,2)investigate any new meanings as well as the conceptualization of“youni”and“zhongnian”to the younger generation,and 3)examine the stereotypes of the middle-aged adults and the communication status quo between middle-aged adults and younger adults in China.Results from quantitative projects suggest that stereotypical traits of the middle-aged people reported by both young and middle-aged groups can be categorized into three stereotypes:Despondent,Unpleasant,and Perfect Parent.The results show that more negative traits have been reported by both age groups.Moreover,the intergenerational communication satisfaction level does not indicate correlations with the number of negative/positive stereotypes held by both age groups.In the qualitative research,it indicates that the notions of“zhongnian”中年and“youni”油腻both have new connotations with multiple meanings,and it also shows the conceptualization of these two notions in terms of exposure channels(i.e.social media and real-life conversations)and usage(mocking vs.censuring)as well as gender implications within“zhongnian”中年and“youni”油腻that they both imply the middle-aged males in general,with virants which implys younger females in today’s contexts in China.For the huge body of intergroup communication research and age stereotype research,this thesis supplements the studies by focusing on the once overlooked age group,the middle-aged adults,from an indigenous perspective. |
