Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Aging

Aging

Aging is a complex biological phenomenon influenced by various processes that affect cellular and systemic functions. Several prominent theories attempt to explain its mechanisms, highlighting cellular limitations, oxidative damage, and hormonal changes as central factors in aging.
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...

Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination

Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination

Humans are very diverse and although we share many similarities, we also have many differences. The social groups we belong to help form our identities (Tajfel, 1974). These differences may be difficult for some people to reconcile, which may lead to prejudice toward people who are different. Prejudice is a negative attitude and feeling toward an individual based solely on one’s membership in a particular social group (Allport, 1954; Brown, 2010). Prejudice is common against people who...

Cognitive Development During Adulthood

Cognitive Development During Adulthood

Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...

The Effect of Aging on Tissues

The Effect of Aging on Tissues

Several body functions deteriorate with age. The external signs of aging are easily identifiable. For example, the skin becomes dry, less elastic, and thins out, forming wrinkles. The skin of the face begins to appear looser due to a decrease in the levels of elastic and collagen fibers in the connective tissue. Additionally, melanin production in the hair follicle decreases with age, resulting in gray hair. Moreover, the senses of sight and hearing decline, so glasses and hearing aids may...

Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients

Drug Dosing: Geriatric Patients

Elderly individuals encompass a diverse population with varying degrees of age-related physiological changes. Defining the elderly presents challenges, as the geriatric population is often arbitrarily categorized as individuals older than 65. However, many individuals in this group lead active and healthy lives, with an increasing number surpassing 85 years and falling into the older elderly category. Physiological changes associated with aging impact performance capacity and homeostatic...

Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age

Pharmacodynamics in Geriatric Patients: Effects of Age

Age-related pharmacokinetic changes are extensively documented, but understanding age-related pharmacodynamic alterations is relatively limited. This knowledge gap can be partly attributed to the complexity of developing appropriate measures of drug responses compared to bioanalytical methods for determining drug concentrations.Most information regarding age-related differences in human pharmacodynamics originates from cross-sectional studies. However, these studies assume that observed mean...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Gay and Lesbian Older Adults Caring for Their Spouses Living With Dementia: Positive Identity and Community at the Margins.

Research on aging·2026

Same author

Emotion Work and Spousal Dementia Caregiving: Influences of Gender and Sexual Orientation.

Journal of health and social behavior·2026

Same author

Gay Men as Caregivers for Spouses with Dementia: Intersections of Gender and Sexual Orientation.

The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences·2025

Same author

Studying constructions of aging manhood: Methodological considerations.

Journal of aging studies·2022

Same author

Equal but different! Improving care for older LGBT+ adults.

Age and ageing·2022

Same author

Are dementia services and support organisations meeting the needs of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) caregivers of LGBT people living with dementia? A scoping review of the literature.

Aging & mental health·2021

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 6, 2026

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Published on: January 24, 2020

Combating Ageism: How Successful Is Successful Aging?

Toni Calasanti¹

¹Department of Sociology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg. toni@vt.edu.

The Gerontologist

|July 18, 2015

Summary

The successful aging narrative, intended to combat ageism, may inadvertently increase it by creating pressure and coexisting with negative views of aging. It fails to address underlying ageist societal structures.

Area of Science:

Gerontology
Sociology of Aging
Social Psychology

Background:

The concept of successful aging, proposed by Rowe and Kahn (1998), aimed to counter ageism by focusing on positive aging and individual control.
However, the effectiveness of this discourse in truly combating ageism remains a critical area of inquiry.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate whether the successful aging discourse effectively combats ageism by challenging negative stereotypes and emphasizing personal agency.
To analyze how the successful aging framework interacts with existing age relations and perceptions of aging.

Main Methods:

A qualitative research design employing semistructured, in-depth interviews.
Data collected from a diverse sample of 19 middle-aged men and women discussing their views on successful aging and perceptions of aging.

Keywords:

Age Relations Ageism Aging Bodies Successful Aging

More Related Videos

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design

Published on: May 31, 2021

A Training Program Using an Agility Ladder for Community-Dwelling Older Adults

A Training Program Using an Agility Ladder for Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Published on: March 7, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 6, 2026

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Published on: January 24, 2020

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design

Published on: May 31, 2021

A Training Program Using an Agility Ladder for Community-Dwelling Older Adults

A Training Program Using an Agility Ladder for Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Published on: March 7, 2020

Main Results:

Participants are familiar with and aspire to successful aging but experience it as a source of tension due to a perceived lack of control.
The discourse of successful aging coexists with, rather than replaces, narratives of decline and burden.
Individuals may implicitly blame themselves or others for failing to meet the successful aging mandate.

Conclusions:

The successful aging framework, by not addressing age-based social hierarchies, may fail to eliminate ageism and could potentially exacerbate it.
Rethinking age relations is crucial for genuinely combating ageism beyond individualistic notions of success.