[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ background_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” background_image=”https:\/\/research.psy.uq.edu.au\/qldmindproject\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Screenshot-2023-05-15-134040_RD-1.png” min_height=”370px” custom_margin=”-2px|||||” custom_padding=”98px||110px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.21.0″ min_height=”105px” custom_margin=”-52px|auto|-43px|auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Challenging Self-Directed Ageism” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_font_size=”40px” header_font=”Inter|800|||||||” header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_font_size=”44px” header_letter_spacing=”3px” header_line_height=”1.6em” custom_padding=”55px||0px||false|false” animation_style=”fade” animation_delay=”150ms” hover_enabled=”0″ inline_fonts=”Montserrat” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-20px||-58px||false|false” custom_padding=”8px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Inter|300|||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.8em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
We live in a world that idealises youth and devalues age and ageing. When considering acts of ageism, one commonly refers to external<\/em> sources, such as being exposed to jokes about aging or being the target of negative age-based assumptions about worth, capacity, or level of understanding. Often underappreciated is that ageism may also become internalized. <\/em><\/p>\n We sat down with QLD MIND project director Professor Julie Henry<\/a> to discuss her recent publication in Trends in Cognitive Sciences<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWithin this paper, my colleagues and I propose a cognitive model to explain why ageism becomes self-directed in late adulthood, despite its potentially harmful personal costs. Why don\u2019t older adults\u2019 simply reject negative ageist beliefs and embrace becoming older?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSelf-directed ageism can present as self-doubt related to one\u2019s age (e.g., “I’m too old to learn this new technology” or \u201cI\u2019m too old to make new friends\u201d), negative self\u2011perceptions of one\u2019s own personal aging (e.g., “I’m so much worse at this than I used to be”), as well as worry and concern about the possibility of being negatively judged in relation to age-based stereotypes (“If I forget to do this, they’re going to think it’s because I’m old”).\u201d<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”20px|15px|30px|15px|false|false” border_radii=”on|1px|1px|1px|1px” border_width_all=”1px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Key Messages” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Inter||||||||” text_text_color=”#0DA0C5″ text_font_size=”18px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n KEY MESSAGES<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”1.” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Inter|300|||||||” text_font_size=”16px” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n 1.<\/span><\/strong><\/span>As we grow older, we increasingly rely on accumulated prior knowledge and environmental cues to guide how we feel, think, and behave. This means that the ageist social norms we have been exposed to throughout our lives, and the ageist cues we continue to encounter in our everyday lives, may both become more impactful<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”2.” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Inter|300|||||||” text_font_size=”16px” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n 2.<\/span><\/strong><\/span>One of the ways in which self-directed ageism can be harmful is by creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. Negative beliefs about age and ageing can undermine older adults\u2019 confidence to take on more challenging opportunities or make them believe that there is little point in trying to take care of themselves<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”3.” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Inter|300|||||||” text_font_size=”16px” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n 3.<\/span><\/strong><\/span>Because these effects are contingent on our social environment, systemic changes in societal conceptions of age and ageing are needed if we are to reduce vulnerability to self directed ageism<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Inter|300|||||||” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.8em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n