[Maika]

Hello my friends, I hope you are all doing well. I am conducting this survey for a student research essay which aims at investigating a prevalent concern known as Ageism. To get as many varying responses as possible, I thought it would be a good idea to post this on different community forums I'm current part of. That being said, if you have the time, I'd be grateful if you shared your views and experiences on age discrimination.

Estimated time for completion: 30-40 mins

Name:
Age:
Gender:
Occupation:
Ethnic Background:


1) Have you or has someone you know ever experience a situation where you’ve felt people were treating you in unjust ways due to obvious generalizations made to your age? When did this happen? How did it happen? Explain.

2) (If yes) In response to that, how did it effect you personally? How did it effect your family? As a result, did you lose or leave your job? (Was there only a financial struggle that you had to overcome?) Did you feel that there was any long-term effects that followed socially or even psychologically?

3) (If yes) How did you cope with it?

4) Do you believe that the positive aspects of age apply for seniors in the work place are enough to outweigh their more negatively perceived generalizations? Explain.

5) Do you believe that certain dangers are prone to derive from ageist stereotypes? What kind of dangers do you think those would be? Would they be psychological, or would they seem more socially inclined? (For Example: less pay, dismissal, abuse, disrespect, etc.)

6) Scenario: If you were an employer looking to hire a mature, sophisticated worker to fill a managing position at a retail store, would you consider passing by a seemingly reliable, loyal, experienced senior applicant with a better work ethic to a younger, more long-lasting individual? Would you do this to maintain lateral advancements in the workplace? Would you risk a senior employee being short-lived to younger employees? Explain.

7) How difficult do you believe it is to claim ageism as a reason for dismissing one from their job?Is it something you once feared at your workplace?

8) Vincent J. Roscigno, a Professor of Sociology at Ohio State University, believes that "age discrimination is an equal opportunity form of inequality". Do you also believe that to be so? Do you think Ageism is something far more prevalent than other forms of discrimination? Explain.

9) “The point of putting a label on a human life, is reduce it from a story to a condition. Something predictable, something that wont ever change, something that isn't free to choose its own future." — Edward Mendelson Do you agree with this view? Why or why not?

10) Is Ageism ultimately a result of government precepts or does the real answer lie within human incapability to see beyond biological contemplation?

11) Should stereotypes, in involvement with prejudice, be discouraged at the risk of health impairment?

12) Should children or young adults be advocated for when faced with prejudice of their age? Explain.

[SilverPhoenyx]

Name: Phoenyx
Age: 36
Gender: Female
Occupation: Student
Ethnic Background: Cherokee


1) Have you or has someone you know ever experience a situation where you’ve felt people were treating you in unjust ways due to obvious generalizations made to your age? When did this happen? How did it happen? Explain.

I am always seen as too old or too young for one thing or another. Even on sites like this, "older" people are considered creepy or without a life if they are on them. My husband is 21 and I look to be the same age, so people don't judge us unless they know there is a 15 year difference, then they get really uncomfortable. I was born in a generation that seems to be between generations where things actually happened.. so growing up, I was always too young or too old. Even now, being in college, and pursuing my master's degree, many of the people in my classes are either much older or younger than I am.

2) (If yes) In response to that, how did it effect you personally? How did it effect your family? As a result, did you lose or leave your job? (Was there only a financial struggle that you had to overcome?) Did you feel that there was any long-term effects that followed socially or even psychologically?

I have actually been hired as a manager inn a company before where I was younger than people who had been working there for years. I had to work twice as hard to garner respect and prove myself because of my age.

3) (If yes) How did you cope with it?

Prayer and hard work.

4) Do you believe that the positive aspects of age apply for seniors in the work place are enough to outweigh their more negatively perceived generalizations? Explain.

I believe age should not be a factor; but, experience, talent, and knowledge should.

5) Do you believe that certain dangers are prone to derive from ageist stereotypes? What kind of dangers do you think those would be? Would they be psychological, or would they seem more socially inclined? (For Example: less pay, dismissal, abuse, disrespect, etc.)

Age should not be a factor.

6) Scenario: If you were an employer looking to hire a mature, sophisticated worker to fill a managing position at a retail store, would you consider passing by a seemingly reliable, loyal, experienced senior applicant with a better work ethic to a younger, more long-lasting individual? Would you do this to maintain lateral advancements in the workplace? Would you risk a senior employee being short-lived to younger employees? Explain.

I believe we have a great deal to learn from our ancestors. I would hire the more experienced person.

7) How difficult do you believe it is to claim ageism as a reason for dismissing one from their job?Is it something you once feared at your workplace?

People should not be forced to retire. I believe that as long as an individual is able to keep up with the workplace needs, they should be allowed to stay in employment for as long as they desire. benefits should be dispersed based upon experience and job requirements. For example, someone who works an assembly line should make more money than someone who answers phones.

8) Vincent J. Roscigno, a Professor of Sociology at Ohio State University, believes that "age discrimination is an equal opportunity form of inequality". Do you also believe that to be so? Do you think Ageism is something far more prevalent than other forms of discrimination? Explain.

All forms of discrimination are prevalent and wrong.

9) “The point of putting a label on a human life, is reduce it from a story to a condition. Something predictable, something that won't ever change, something that isn't free to choose its own future." — Edward Mendelson Do you agree with this view? Why or why not?

I am a person, not a label. If more people lived that way, life would be so much better. Adding labels dehumanizes a person and lends to prejudice, discrimination, and annihilation.

10) Is Ageism ultimately a result of government precepts or does the real answer lie within human incapability to see beyond biological contemplation?

People want things instantly. If we could get past this microwave world view, maybe people would see that we have a great deal to learn from those who have lived in this world longer than we have. Their experience is valuable.

11) Should stereotypes, in involvement with prejudice, be discouraged at the risk of health impairment?

Stereotypes should be avoided for all reasons.

12) Should children or young adults be advocated for when faced with prejudice of their age? Explain.

Yes, Someone needs to speak for the children, the disabled, and the elderly.

[Maika]

Oh thank you so much for responding Mister Silver! I'm grateful. (^_^)

[Echo-chan713]

Name: (Tris name) Echo-chan (real name) Kaitlin
Age: 20
Gender: Female
Occupation: Pawnbeoker
Ethnic Background: White


1) Have you or has someone you know ever experience a situation where you’ve felt people were treating you in unjust ways due to obvious generalizations made to your age? When did this happen? How did it happen? Explain.

-None of them major like the fact that I'm 20 and everyone expects me to be a wild child and party girl. But most of the time it's that people think I'm older than I am actually because of the way I look

2) (If yes) In response to that, how did it effect you personally? How did it effect your family? As a result, did you lose or leave your job? (Was there only a financial struggle that you had to overcome?) Did you feel that there was any long-term effects that followed socially or even psychologically?

-Well it hasn't affected anything other than my sweatshop job because I'm always questioning their procedures even though mine is faster. I'm going through a long rebellious stage since I was 16.
3) (If yes) How did you cope with it?

4) Do you believe that the positive aspects of age apply for seniors in the work place are enough to outweigh their more negatively perceived generalizations? Explain.

-As far as I know since the economy went downward it's very hard for me to believe that seniors in the workplace would work. Because today, everyone wants the young ones to work for them really hard for a long time, and then just give them to me below minimum wage paycheck.

5) Do you believe that certain dangers are prone to derive from ageist stereotypes? What kind of dangers do you think those would be? Would they be psychological, or would they seem more socially inclined? (For Example: less pay, dismissal, abuse, disrespect, etc.)

-I wouldn't feel like there's certain danger to it other than assumptions to the victims such as an old lady means she has lots of gold jewelry, so lets go and invade her place and get the gold.

6) Scenario: If you were an employer looking to hire a mature, sophisticated worker to fill a managing position at a retail store, would you consider passing by a seemingly reliable, loyal, experienced senior applicant with a better work ethic to a younger, more long-lasting individual? Would you do this to maintain lateral advancements in the workplace? Would you risk a senior employee being short-lived to younger employees? Explain.

-Well I want someone who knows how to do things around that certain type of business so I rather hire the older individual.

7) How difficult do you believe it is to claim ageism as a reason for dismissing one from their job?Is it something you once feared at your workplace?

8) Vincent J. Roscigno, a Professor of Sociology at Ohio State University, believes that "age discrimination is an equal opportunity form of inequality". Do you also believe that to be so? Do you think Ageism is something far more prevalent than other forms of discrimination? Explain.

-I've seen sexism and racism more prevalent than ageism. it is a form of discrimination but it's not the one that I've seen everyday


9) “The point of putting a label on a human life, is reduce it from a story to a condition. Something predictable, something that wont ever change, something that isn't free to choose its own future." — Edward Mendelson Do you agree with this view? Why or why not?

-I can say it's true, it's like a mother saying to their chair that he/she is a bad child it sticks to them then they live out the rest of he/she life with that expectation of being a bad child so they act out like one.

10) Is Ageism ultimately a result of government precepts or does the real answer lie within human incapability to see beyond biological contemplation?

-Not really as far as I know because mine is more biological than government.

11) Should stereotypes, in involvement with prejudice, be discouraged at the risk of health impairment?

-I don't really know how to answer it.

12) Should children or young adults be advocated for when faced with prejudice of their age? Explain.

-If any discrimination has an advocate then this one can have one too