Miller Darryl W, Leyell Teresita S, Mazachek Juliann
Department of Business Administration, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, 54022-5001, USA.
Int J Aging Hum Dev. 2004;58(4):315-40. doi: 10.2190/N1R6-7Q5Y-2N7Q-8NM1.
Critics have charged that American advertisers have often portrayed the elderly with negative stereotypes. These negative portrayals, they suggest, not only offend elderly consumers but also contribute to ageism. This study examined whether American advertisers have indeed used a great deal of negative stereotyping of the elderly, as the critics have suggested. Employing a concept of stereotypes found in cognitive psychology, the authors examined trends in the portrayal of the elderly in television commercials produced in the United States from the 1950s through the 1990s. Results of the study do not support the contentions of the critics. Very little negative stereotyping was discovered. Analysis indicated trends in the appearance of several positive stereotypes, and differences in the stereotyping of gender groups and age segments within the elderly group. Results are interpreted from both marketing and social science perspectives.
批评者指责美国广告商经常以负面刻板印象描绘老年人。他们认为，这些负面描绘不仅冒犯了老年消费者，还助长了年龄歧视。本研究调查了美国广告商是否真的如批评者所暗示的那样，大量使用了对老年人的负面刻板印象。作者运用认知心理学中刻板印象的概念，研究了20世纪50年代至90年代美国制作的电视广告中老年人形象的变化趋势。研究结果并不支持批评者的观点。几乎没有发现负面刻板印象。分析表明出现了几种正面刻板印象的趋势，以及老年人群体中性别群体和年龄段刻板印象的差异。研究结果从营销和社会科学的角度进行了解读。
