Political implications of the 'new ageism'

The research tradition of old age stereotypes has typically been limited to a social psychological perspective of their dysfunctional consequences. This exploratory study examines the possible functions served by such stereotypes from a sociocultural frame of reference, in particular, testing the hypothesis of Richard Kalish and Carroll Estes that problem-oriented conceptions of older persons are part of an emerging political ideology. Using the responses of the Louis-Harris-NOCA "The Myth and Reality of Aging in America" survey, the relation between aging stereotypes and attitudes toward federal support of the aged are reported.