Sociological aspects of young people\u27s attitudes to aging, age and elderly in the Slovenian postmodern society

Ob intenzivnem staranju prebivalstva in podaljševanju življenjske dobe v vseh družbah sveta, predvsem pa v zahodnih, postaja vse pomembnejše tako razumevanje in zaznavanje dejavnikov lastnega staranja kot tudi vzpostavljanje pozitivnega odnosa do starejših nasploh. Kljub dejstvu, da je starost lahko zdrava in produktivna, sta diskriminacija starejših in strah pred staranjem globoko zakoreninjena v kulturo sodobnih družb. Žal, tudi slovenske. Cilj doktorske disertacije je preučevati sociološke vidike odnosa mladih do staranja, starosti in starejših ljudi v slovenski postmoderni družbi. Na osnovi teoretičnih socioloških pristopov o staranju in ageizmu smo obravnavali nekatere dejavnike, ki nakazujejo razlike v odnosu do starejših in dojemanju strahu pred staranjem med mladimi. Osredotočili smo se na srednješolsko in študentsko populacijo in v raziskovalni vzorec zajeli 1234 anketiranih mladih, v starosti od 15 do 29 let (M = 19,1, SD = 3,1) na območju severovzhodne Slovenije. Rezultati analize empirične raziskave niso potrdili našega predvidevanja, da med anketiranimi mladimi prevladujejo ageistična stališča. Smo pa med anketiranimi mladimi na osnovi dobljenih empiričnih podatkov zaznali strah pred staranjem - natančneje strah pred izgubo (npr. osamljenostjo). Signifikantne razlike so se pokazale glede na spol tako v odnosu do starejših (anketirani moški so pogosteje ageistični) kot v dojemanju strahu pred staranjem (anketirane ženske v prihodnosti bolj skrbi fizični izgled in osamljenost). Prav tako smo zaznali, da med anketiranimi mladimi obstajajo razlike v dojemanje strahu pred staranjem glede na stopnjo izobrazbe in kraj njihovega bivanja. Ugotovili smo tudi, presenetljivo, da tip družine ne vpliva na stopnjo ageizma. Veliko bolj pomembna povezava se je pokazala med stopnjo ageizma in vzgojnimi slogi v družini. Nadalje lahko potrdimo tudi pozitivno povezanost med strahom pred staranjem in ageizmom, ki sta v negativni povezavi z znanjem o staranju. Na osnovi teoretičnih in empiričnih spoznanj smo izoblikovali sociološko-izobraževalni model za preprečevanje negativnega oz. ohranjanje pozitivnega odnosa mladih do starejših, za lažje premagovanje strahu pred staranjem med mladimi in, nenazadnje, za učinkovitejšo implementacijo vsebin na področje družine, izobraževanja in medgeneracijskega sodelovanja.According to intensive aging and prolonged life expectancy of population in all societies in the world, especially in the Western countries, it is becoming increasingly important to understand and perceive factors of one’s own aging, as well as the creation of a positive attitude to the elderly in general. Despite the fact that the age can be healthy and productive, discrimination against the elderly and the aging anxiety is deeply rooted in the culture of modern societies. Unfortunately, it is present in Slovenia, too. The aim of the doctoral thesis was to study the sociological aspects of the attitudes of young people to aging, age and older people in the Slovenian postmodern society. Based on the theoretical sociological approaches on aging and ageism, some of the factors which indicate differences in attitude towards older people and the perception of fear of aging among young people were discussed. We focused on high school and the student population, and in the research sample were surveyed 1234 young people aged 15 to 29 years (M = 19,1, SD = 3,1) in north-eastern Slovenia. The results of the analysis of this empirical research did not confirm our prediction that among the interviewed young people predominate ageist attitudes. But on the basis of obtained empirical data, we recognized presence of fear of aging among young peoplemore specifically, fear of loss (e.g. the loneliness). Significant differences were present regarding gender, both in relation to the elderly (male respondents more often feel ageism), and their perception of fear of ageing (women surveyed are more concerned about physical appearance and loneliness in the future).We also noted that among the interviewed young people there were differences in the perception of fear of age by level of education and place of residence. It was also found, surprisingly, that family type does not affect the level of ageism. Much more important liaison was found between the degree of ageism and educational styles in the family. Positive correlation was also confirmed between the fear of aging and ageism that are negatively correlated with knowledge about aging. Based on the theoretical and empirical knowledge, we have formed a sociological educational model for the prevention of negative or maintaining of positive young people\u27s attitudes to the elderly, to help overcome the fear of aging among young people and, ultimately, for the efficient implementation of this content in the area of the family, education, and intergenerational cooperation