The impact of media on older women: Ageist attitudes towards biological, psychological, and social aging

This thesis investigated the relationship between the amount of television older women watched and their attitudes towards biological, psychological, and social aging measured by the concept of ageism. The participants were assigned to a research group depending on the average amount of television watched per day. The greater television viewer group (n = 32) watched television 4 or more hours, and the limited television viewer group (n = 21) watched television less than 4 hours per day, on average. Ageism was measured by a score on Palmore Facts on Aging quizzes (FAQ). The 53 participants ranged in age from 60 to 92. Although there was a tendency for limited television viewers to have more positive bias scores than greater television viewers, there was no significant difference in biological, psychological, or social aging biases between older women who were limited television viewers and those who were greater television viewers.