This article is a media review that concentrates on comparing different age groups in the media as well as prejudices and issue that they deal with. Non-fictional and fictional
resources will be used to clarify both positive and negative stereotypes, theories, issues, and principles that deal with adult development and aging. Non-fictional and fictional resources; stereotypes, theories, and principles of 60 to 65-year-olds as well as 80 to 85 -year-olds; and an additional source will be analyzed in this article. Non-fictional and fictional resources will be explored next.
Non-Fictional and Fictional Resources
Non-fictional and fictional resources in this article identify the manner in which aging adults interact with society as a whole, the community, and other people. The fictional
movies, Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers, and Bad Grandpa will be used to demonstrate reactions of elderly with other people. The non-fictional movie, Bad Grandpa .5, as well as the articles “Elder Stereotypes in Media and Popular Culture”, and “Top 20 stereotypes of older people” will verify information in the fictional sources. The 85-year-old character, Irving, in Bad Grandpa fits negative stereotyping and my chosen age group of 80 to 85-years-old. The characters in Meet the Fockers represent the 60 to 65-year-old age group as well as positive and negative stereotyping of the elderly. Stereotypes, theories, and principles that coincide with the movies’ characters will be discussed next.
Stereotypes, Theories, and Principles
Stereotypes, theories, and principles concerned with adult development and aging in two different age groups will be explored in this section. Stereotypes are exaggerated or
oversimplified beliefs concerning a category or group of people that may be negative or positive (Schmidt, 2011). Different characters in the fictional sources suit separate
stereotypes, theories, and principles.
The 80 to 85-Year-Old Age Range
The fictional movie, Bad Grandpa, features a cantankerous “dirty-old-man” named Irving who gets away with a various mischievous acts simply because he is 85-years-old. The
non-fictional movie, Bad Grandpa .5, explains the social experiment of dressing Jackass comedian, Johnny Knoxville, up like an old man to see how far the public can be pushed with Irving’s rude antics that are secretly filmed for comedic relief that is featured in the show Jackass and the movie Bad Granpa. Stereotypes in Bad Grandpa will be analyzed next.
Irving proves and disproves some stereotypes of the elderly. The stereotypes that claim old people are helpless and weak, have no sexual interests, and are cantankerous and grouchy are addressed in Bad Grandpa (Schmidt, 2011). Irving is very good at proving old people are grouchy and cantankerous to the point of arousing anger or disgust from members of society and then using the weak and helpless stereotype to keep himself out of trouble. The stereotype of the
elderly having no interest in sex is busted by “dirty-old-man” Irving. Next, theories and a principle will be analyzed.
Some theories and principles are evident in Bad Grandpa.
The disengagement theory suggests that social ties are purposely loosened by the elderly as a normal part of life’s evolution (Whitbourne & Whitbourne, 2014). Peer-viewed research suggests that there is a decline of social functioning in older adults (Khanjani, et.al., 2015). Irving coincides with the principle that individuals in different age groups are varied to make individuality important (Whitbourne & Whitbourne, 2014). Irving definitely exhibits a severe decline in social functioning that contributes to loosened social ties because he is so obnoxious to the public. Bad Grandpa .5
definitely exhibits differences in the elderly with Irving’s interactions with other elderly gentlemen in a golf course prank. The 60 to 65-year-old age range will be discussed next.
The 60 to 65-Year-Old Age Range
In the fictional movie Meet the Fockers Mr. Byrne is a stuffy retired CIA agent who is married to sweet little woman who is co-dependent of his behavior. Mr. Focker is a vivacious
and loving retired lawyer who is an old hippy. Mrs. Focker is a sex therapist for older couple who breaks the “rules” of old age while encouraging others to do the same. In the movie the radically different parents of a soon to be married couple meet and interact, hilariously. Next, the stereotypes in Meet the Fockers will be presented.
Stereotypes of the elderly are proved and disproved by the characters in Meet the Fockers. The stereotypes of disability and sickness accompanying old age, older people’s
inability to learn, old people are kind and sweet, old people are helpless and weak, old people are forgetful and boring, the unproductivity of old people, lack of feelings among the elderly, and the isolation of the elderly are shattered by the characters in Meet the Fockers (Schmidt, 2011). The
Byrnes and the Fockers are healthy and active. Mrs. Focker is able to help the Byrnes improve their sex lives and happiness in one weekend. Mrs. Byrnes, Mr. Focker, and Mrs. Focker are sweet and kind while Mr. Byrnes is a bit cantankerous. All of the elderly in this movie are productive and interesting with deep personal feelings. These characters are definitely not isolated. Approaches, and principles will be analyzed next.
Some approaches and principles are evident in Meet the Fockers. All of the aging characters in Meet the Fockers adhere to the principles that people remain the same even though they continuously change over their life span, and the survivor principle applies to people who have reached old age (Whitbourne & Whitbourne, 2014). Mr. Byrne played by Robert DeNiro adheres to the mechanistic or behavioral approach because he is more like a machine who responds to external stimuli due to his extreme stiffness (Baumgartner, 2001). Mrs. Byrnes seems to represent the sociocultural approach because she adheres her behavior to match her husband’s until she gets around Mrs. Focker and changes her behavior and seems happier which indicates the social factors around her affect her (Baumgartner, 2001). Mr. Focker reflects the cognitive or psychosocial approach in which his “internal development processes” is interacting with his environment on the island with his awesome wife (Baumgartner, 2001). Mrs. Focker coincides with the integrated approach to aging because she is an holistic individual who reflects intersections of sociocultural influences on the mind and body (Baumgartner, 2001). Approaches and principles relate to each character in Meet the Fockers. Theories and Mrs. Fockers will be discussed next.
Mrs. Focker is the most interesting and exciting character who encourages and teaches other to break the boundaries that society may put on the aging like activity and endurance theories. The activity theory states that older adults should get may opportunities to remain engaged in life
(Whitbourne & Whitbourne, 2014). A peer-viewed article claims that improved endurance from activity is associated with a higher life quality (Bonnefoy, et.al., 2012). Mrs. Focker is a great candidate to prove positive theories about aging. Next, An alternative source will be presented.
An Alternative Source
The alternative source that was located for this article claims that stereotypes actually harm the elderly. “Research suggests that most people (including older adults) do not understand
he course of typical aging and grossly overestimate its impact. For example, one study found that 90 percent of elderly respondents indicated that the likelihood of them becoming senile was very strong” (Walker, 2010, para. 10). Estimates suggest that about 10% of people over age 65 are affected by dementia (Walker, 2010). The misconceptions and stereotypes associated with aging are often presented in popular culture and the media as factual and negative characteristics of the elderly are highlighted (Walker, 2010). Unfortunately, the elders may internalize the low
expectations about aging that are conveyed by media and popular culture (Walker, 2010). “Yale University studies have shown that exposure to these gloomy images actually causes seniors to walk more slowly, hear and remember less well, increases stress levels, and harms heart health”
(Walker, 2010, para.15). This source is different because it warns against predicting negative aspects of aging that other sources did not mention. The issues involved with aging may be more prevalent when individuals focus on the negative aspects while they may be lessened by focusing
on aging’s positive aspects.
Non-fictional and fictional resources; stereotypes, theories, and principles of 60 to 65-year-olds as well as 80 to 85 -year-olds; and an additional source have been explored in this article. The author hopes that the positive view of Mrs. Focker and the changes she made for Mr. and Mrs. Byrne will make it evident that the best way to deal with age is a positive and active attitude that will find ways to grow stronger and overcome the difficulties of aging. The author agrees
that negative aspects that are accepted by culture can affect the elderly in an unfavorable manner. The differences in the movie characters’ ages is a fine example of the difference that 20 years can make in the manner in which a person functions within society because the 60 to 65-year-olds function well and the 80 to 85-year-old doesn’t function well in society.
References
Baumgartner, Lisa M. (Oct, 2001). Four Adult Development Theories and Their Implications for Practice. National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy. Retrieved from
http://www.ncsall.net/
Bonnefoy, M., Boutitie, F., Mercier, C., Gueyffier, F., Carre, C., Guetemme, G., . . . Cornu, C. (2012). Efficacy of a home-based intervention programme on the physical activity level and functional ability of older people using domestic services: A randomised study. The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 16(4), 370-7.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/
Khanjani, Z., Mosanezhad Jeddi, E., Hekmati, I., Khalilzade, S., Etemadi Nia, M., Andalib, M.,
& Ashrafian, P. (2015). Comparison of Cognitive Empathy, Emotional Empathy, and Social Functioning in Different Age Groups. Australian Psychologist, 50(1), 80-85.
doi:10.1111/ap.12099
Meet the Fockers. (n.d.). Netflix. Retrieved from https://www.netflix.com/
Schmidt, Flavia, (23 Nov, 2011). Top 20 stereotypes of older people. The Senior Citizen Times.
Retrieved from https://
Walker, Jessica. (30 Oct, 2010). Elder Stereotypes in Media and Popular Culture. Aging Watch.
Retrieved from http://www.agingwatch.com/
Whitbourne, S. K., & Whitbourne, S. B. (2014). Adult development and aging: Biopsychosocial
perspectives (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
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