Relationships between literary stereotypes of aging Anglo women and their self-perceived role images /
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
1990.
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | ProQuest, Abstract Link to OAKTrust copy Link to ProQuest copy |
| Abstract: | This study examined the relationship between fictional and self-perceived roles in aging women, and determined if a relationship existed between the age-sex-role stereotypes so often found in literary portrayals of aging females and the actual self-evaluation of aging women. It also measured whether or not, and to what degree, they perceive themselves as accurately represented in current popular fiction. The method of investigation was divided into two parts. The first included the examination of a selected list of best-selling popular Anglo-American novels, chosen from Best-Seller Lists, which depicted older women as major or minor characters. These fictional women were analyzed and classified according to established criteria and identified on a scale ranging from highly realistic to highly stereotyped. The second part consisted of a series of interviews with ten volunteer subjects, all of whom were aging females. For the purpose of this study, "aging female" was defined as anyone over the age of fifty. This investigation was conducted on the basis of qualitative methodology within a naturalistic paradigm. The emerging stereotypes or images of aging females were classified into categories according to the attitudes, values, and role perceptions they represented. The findings of this study suggest that while there is a consistent use of stereotyping in the literary portrayal of aging females, the average older female reader often fails to recognize these stereotypes as manifestations of social conditioning. She prefers to accept them as "the way things are" or to reject them as incompatible with her own system of values. The conclusions of this study also suggest that the printed media still exert a significant influence on the way older women view themselves and evaluate their own roles in social settings. These findings should provide adult educators with additional insights in meeting the educational needs of this increasingly important subculture of potential learners. It is recommended that further studies could be undertaken to determine the self-awareness of women of other age, economic, educational, and ethnic groups. |
|---|---|
| Item Description: | Typescript (photocopy). Vita. "Major subject: Adult and extension education." |
| Physical Description: | xii, 301 leaves ; 29 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references. |