SOC101: Introduction to Sociology (2020.A.01)

Empirical studies conducted by Roy and Harwood and Walker showed that in print advertisements, television advertisements, and television programs, older adults are sometimes depicted as posing a financial burden on society. Atkins et al., Roy and Harwood, Simcock and Lynn, and Van Selm et al. showed that older people were often underrepresented in television programs, relative to the percentage of older people in the population. According to Ylänne, "under-representation has been found to be particularly pertinent in relation to people over 65". An explanation could be that companies feared that the image of their products and services would suffer if they were associated with the idea of being old. The portrayals of certain social groups in society, as well as the type of characteristics depicted in those portrayals, matter in societies that value social justice and power balance. These representations, visual and otherwise, can reinforce stereotypes and play a role in stereotype formation. Encountering such stereotypes in the media can negatively impact the self-esteem, health status, physical wellbeing, and cognitive performance of older people. As Williams et al. found, "groups that appear more often in the media are more 'vital' and enjoy better status and power in daily life". Taking this into account, we agree with Lester and Ross that "pictures can injure". The act of visually underrepresenting older people in the media or representing them in a stigmatized way is not harmless, as it not only reflects societal practices, but also produces meaning about these practices.