Depiction of Old Age in Greeting Cards Essay Example for Free

Depiction of Old Age in Greeting Cards Essay The stereotyping of adults is intimately etched in the culture of America and is reinforced by television and newspapers. Pop culture portrays children and old people together as though they have personality characteristics in common. In greeting cards, old people are given the personalities, dress, physical problems, playthings, and activities of children. Popular culture portrays children and old people together as though they have personality characteristics in common. The aspect most commonly depicted in greeting cards is the notion of second childhood. Pop culture portrays old people and kids in the same manner and implies similar characteristics. Greeting cards usually depict the senile in kids apparel. Obviously, the association of old people with children degrades their social status and steals the gray power movement of adults that has an effect on political and social upheavals. The medias effort, especially greeting card companies, must be assessed in order shrug off the degrading portrayal of old age (Schoeni, 2005). Old-age disability rates among all major socioeconomic and demographic groups declined over the past two decades, but the magnitude of the fall was larger for those who have Higher income, has more years of education, is married, and is younger. As a result, Disparities in disability have increased. The causes of these developments are unknown, While the potential ramifications for social and personal well-being is substantial. People ages 65 and older, minority and socio-economically disadvantaged populations are much more likely than other groups to experience disability and the physical, cognitive, and sensory limitations that underlie it ( Schoeni, 2005). Psychology of Aging The psychology of ageing encompasses a variety of approaches and experimental traditions which, while complementing the clinical sciences, nevertheless remain rooted in the psychology of human development. Two of these ‘experimental traditions’ provide the focus for this contribution: speed of performance and intellectual performance. Superficially representing the ‘physical’ and the ‘mental’, and closely related to the most enduring stereotypes of ageing, speed and intellectual performance are among the longest studied of all phenomena in experimental psychology. Understanding how these two aspects of functioning interrelate and change with normal ageing provides useful insights into psychological adaptation across the lifespan, and helps to identify opportunities for constructive intervention (Morgan, 2004). Finitude and its Various Effects Death is the one certainty all people face in their lives. Although the timing and nature of this death is uncertain, as people age their death becomes more imminent. What sense can be made of this at a societal and individual level? Within Western society, death engenders complex personal responses and as a result we find it hard to address the needs of people as they face dying and death. People hold different meanings for this transition, from life to death, and these different constructions shape the way in which the transition from life to death is perceived, managed and experienced by older people. This influences the process of dying, the priorities older people express, the places where they experience their dying and the planning they may wish to engage with around their own end of life ( Hurlock, 1980). With this in mind, the image of old people who are depicted in greeting cards are ridiculed in a way. These themes in greeting cards imply that old people are useless and not wise at all, and all of them are leaning towards the path of death and retirement. In an article in the magazine Psychology Today, it is explained the relation of greeting cards and old people: â€Å"If greeting cards are band-aids for broken relationships, then it may be time for their makers to find some better adhesives. The nations purveyors of social expression have no formal mechanism for tapping the national mood or figuring out the relationship needs of Americans. Industry giants Hallmark and Gibson admit that the greetings they proffer are not the result of a very scientific process. In fact, they rely more on a random blast of staffer intuition than on national surveys, focus groups, or mall interviews. † (Psychology Today, 1992) Greeting card companies hire all types of people from grandparents to young single parents, people who can relate to other people and can express their sentiments by sharing them through greeting cards. Companies refrain from hiring â€Å"psychology people†. Consumer requests and follow-up surveys indicated that people were looking for a way to support those freeing themselves of dependency. But Hallmark never consulted a staff psychologist. Thats because, like other card companies, it doesnt have one-even though its business is devoted to deciphering the American psyche (Psychology Today, 1992). Old Age in Different Psychological Perspectives Physical Grandparents depicted in greeting cards are usually presented as the normal senile and wrinkly individuals that they are. These people are in the verge of death and it is manifested physically. The Elderly is usually shown being hugged by kids as a sign of respect for their wisdom (Hurlock, 1980). Cognitive The cognitive skills and abilities of people who are in the stage of old age are in constant depletion due to the fact that their sensory system is hampered by the frequent use during their prime. Old people have a hard time catching up with the spontaneity of younger people (Hurlock, 1980). Psychological Perhaps that is because as older adults we can often look back on our lives with happiness and are content, feeling fulfilled with a deep sense that life has meaning and weve made a contribution to life, a feeling Erik Erikson calls integrity. Our strength h comes from a wisdom that the world is very large and we now have a detached concern for the whole of life, accepting death as the completion of life. A result of a triad of biological, psychological, and social factors that may be controlled, and thus the possibility of a decline in the prevalence of old age depression (Hurlock, 1980). Social The Disengagement theory suggests that withdrawal is a mutual process norm and societal expectations allow more reflection and freedom. People can become more reflective about their lives and can become less constrained by social roles. People become more discerning about relationships, which can help them adjust to increasing frequency of serious illness and death among their peers. Disengagement is not an automatic, universal process for all people in late adulthood. Meaning that the disengagement theory is subjective and does not apply to all old people ( Hurlock, 1980). Reference Morgan,K. (1992). Psychological aspects of ageing. Psychiatry. Volume 3. Issue 12. Pages 8-10 Hurlock,E. 1980. Developmental Stages in early childhood and adolescence. Developmental Psychology: A Lifespan Approach. Fifth Edition. New York. Schoeni,R. (2005). Socio-Economic and Demographic Disparities in Trends in Old-Age Disability. Trends Working Paper Series. Psychology Today Staff. (1992. ) Sending your very best. Psychology today. 1992.