Sex differences in perceptions of aging. 1981

M T Costello, and J A Meacham

This study extends earlier work on perceptions of aging by assessing sex differences and by focusing on specific events of aging, rather than global perceptions. Thirty persons over sixty-five years were asked individually to rate the difficulty of sixteen events for themselves, other women, and other men. The general finding of previous studies that difficulty for oneself is not as great as for others was replicated. Also, there was no difference in the difficulty overall for men and women. However, both these findings must be interpreted in the light of a significant (p less than .01) interaction between sex of other person and specific events. Change in appearance, departure of children, and decrease in time with children are seen as more difficult for other women. Increased leisure time, decreased strength, and retirement are seen as more difficult for other men. Statements regarding difficulty of aging ought to be precise to as sex and specific events of aging.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008016 Life Change Events Those occurrences, including social, psychological, and environmental, which require an adjustment or effect a change in an individual's pattern of living. Life Course,Life Crises,Life Crisis,Life Experiences,Course, Life,Crisis, Life,Event, Life Change,Experience, Life,Life Change Event,Life Courses,Life Experience
D008297 Male Males
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D001290 Attitude An enduring, learned predisposition to behave in a consistent way toward a given class of objects, or a persistent mental and/or neural state of readiness to react to a certain class of objects, not as they are but as they are conceived to be. Sentiment,Attitudes,Opinions,Opinion,Sentiments
D012737 Sex Factors Maleness or femaleness as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from SEX CHARACTERISTICS, anatomical or physiological manifestations of sex, and from SEX DISTRIBUTION, the number of males and females in given circumstances. Factor, Sex,Factors, Sex,Sex Factor

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