Liat Ayalon1. 1. Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The present study adds to the current body of literature by simultaneously examining the public perception of young and old people as posing realistic threats (e.g., to the group's power, resources, and welfare) and symbolic threats (e.g., to one's world view, belief system and values). METHODS: The fourth wave of the European Social Survey was administered to individuals from 29 countries. Analysis is based on 56,170 individuals, who had data on the four relevant indicators. The study relied on a latent profile analysis to develop a typology of perceived realistic and symbolic threats to society by younger and older adults. RESULTS: A three-profile solution indicated that the perception of older and younger adults as threats to society often co-occurs. Sociodemographic characteristics at the individual-level and the Gini coefficient (e.g., an inequality indicator) at the country-level had differential associations with the profiles identified. CONCLUSIONS: The study calls for a more balanced approach which evaluates attitudes toward both younger and older adults as potential sources of threat. Attention should be paid to individual- and national-level characteristics associated with age-based threats (e.g., the perception of a group, defined by its chronological age, as threatening).
OBJECTIVES: The present study adds to the current body of literature by simultaneously examining the public perception of young and old people as posing realistic threats (e.g., to the group's power, resources, and welfare) and symbolic threats (e.g., to one's world view, belief system and values). METHODS: The fourth wave of the European Social Survey was administered to individuals from 29 countries. Analysis is based on 56,170 individuals, who had data on the four relevant indicators. The study relied on a latent profile analysis to develop a typology of perceived realistic and symbolic threats to society by younger and older adults. RESULTS: A three-profile solution indicated that the perception of older and younger adults as threats to society often co-occurs. Sociodemographic characteristics at the individual-level and the Gini coefficient (e.g., an inequality indicator) at the country-level had differential associations with the profiles identified. CONCLUSIONS: The study calls for a more balanced approach which evaluates attitudes toward both younger and older adults as potential sources of threat. Attention should be paid to individual- and national-level characteristics associated with age-based threats (e.g., the perception of a group, defined by its chronological age, as threatening).
Authors: Ina Nitschke; Ulf Gegner; Werner Hopfenmüller; Bernhard A J Sobotta; Julia Jockusch Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-06-18 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Vânia de la Fuente-Núñez; Ella Cohn-Schwartz; Senjooti Roy; Liat Ayalon Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-04-10 Impact factor: 3.390