Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Perceptions of Aging in Two Cultures: Korean and American Views on Old Age

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The current study investigated whether beliefs about aging vary by culture, age, and gender. The Lasher and Faulkender (Int. J. Aging Hum. Dev., 37:247–259, 1993) Anxiety about Aging scale was administered to 153 American and 167 South Korean men and women divided into three age groups: young (18–39), middle-aged (40–59), and older (60–91) adults. Significant cultural differences were found for the total anxiety scale and three of the four subscales. Compared to Americans, Koreans portrayed higher overall levels of anxiety about aging, and greater fear of old people, psychological concerns, and concerns over physical appearance. For Koreans, younger adults had greater fear of old people, whereas among Americans, older adults had greater fear of old people. In both cultures, the older adults had greater psychological concerns and fear of losses than did the younger groups, and American women showed more anxiety about aging and concerns over physical appearance than their male counterparts. Results are discussed in relation to aging in different cultural contexts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arnhoff, F. N., Leon, H. V., & Lorge, I. (1964). Cross-cultural acceptance of stereotypes towards aging. Journal of Social Psychology, 63, 41–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barak, B., Mathur, A., Lee, K., & Zhang, Y. (2001). Perceptions of age-identity: A cross-cultural inner-age exploration. Psychology and Marketing, 18(10), 1003–1029.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bieman-Copland, S., & Ryan, E. B. (2001). Social perceptions of failures in memory monitoring. Psychology and Aging, 16(2), 357–361.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brewer, M. B., Dull, V., & Lui, L. (1981). Perception of the elderly: Stereotypes as prototypes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41, 656–670.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Butler, R. N. (1980). Ageism: A foreword. Journal of Social Issues, 36(2), 8–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Canetto, S. S., Kaminski, P. L., & Felicio, D. M. (1995). Typical and optimal aging in women and men: Is there a double standard? International Journal of Aging & Human Development, 40(3), 187–207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang, B. L., Chang, A. F., & Shen, Y. (1984). Attitudes toward aging in the United States and Taiwan. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, 15(1), 109–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cummings, S. M., Kropf, N. P., & DeWeaver, K. L. (2000). Knowledge of attitudes toward aging among non-elders: Gender and race differences. Journal of Women and Aging, 12(1/2), 77–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Depaola, S. J., Griffin, M., Young, J. R., & Neimeyer, R. A. (2003). Death anxiety and attitudes toward the elderly among adults: The role of gender and ethnicity. Death Studies, 27(4), 335–354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hale, D. W., & Cochran, C. D. (1986). Gender differences in health attitudes among the elderly. Clinical Gerontologist, 4(3), 23–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harwood, J., Giles, H., Ota, H., Pierson, H. D., Gallois, C., Ng, S. H., et al. (1996). College students’ trait ratings of three age groups around the Pacific Rim. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 11(4), 307–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heckhausen, J., Dixon, R. A., & Baltes, P. B. (1989). Gains and losses in development throughout adulthood as perceived by different adult age groups. Developmental Psychology, 25, 109–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, B., & Leonard, H. (1994). Seniors as media advocates: Building confidence and competence. Australian Journal of Ageing, 13(3), 138–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hummert, M. L. (1990). Multiple stereotypes of elderly and young adults: A comparison of structure and evaluations. Psychology and Aging, 5(2), 182–193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ingersoll-Dayton, B., & Saengtienchai, C. (1999). Respect for the elderly in Asia: Stability and change. International Journal of Aging & Human Development, 48(2), 113–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin, Y.-S., Ryan, E. B., & Anas, A. P. (2001). Korean beliefs about everyday memory and aging for self and others. International Journal of Aging & Human Development, 52(2), 103–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kafer, R., Rakowski, W., Lachman, M., & Hickey, T. (1980). Aging opinion survey: A report on instrument development. International Journal of Aging & Human Development, 11(4), 319–333.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, I. K. (2000). Policy responses to low fertility and population aging in Korea. Paper presented at the Expert Group Meeting on Policy Response to Population Ageing and Population Decline. Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

  • Kim, I.-K., & Maeda, D. (2001). A comparative study on sociodemographic changes and long-term health care needs of the elderly in Japan and South Korea. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 16, 237–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kite, M. E., Deaux, K., & Miele, M. (1991). Stereotypes of young and old: Does age outweigh gender? Psychology and Aging, 6(1), 19–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klemmack, D. L., Durand, R. M., & Roff, L. L. (1980). Reexamination of the relationship between age and fear of aging. Psychological Reports, 46, 1320.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lasher, K. P., & Faulkender, P. J. (1993). Measurement of aging anxiety: Development of the anxiety about aging scale. International Journal of Aging & Human Development, 37, 247–259.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, A. R., & Rinehart, S. T. (1995). Korean women’s politicization: The effects of public/private constructions. Women & Politics, 15, 53–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levy, B. R. (1999). The inner self of the Japanese elderly: A defense against negative stereotypes of aging. International Journal of Aging & Human Development, 48(2), 131–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levy, B., & Langer, E. (1994). Aging free from negative stereotypes: Successful memory in China and among the American deaf. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 66(6), 989–997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levy, B. R., Slade, M. D., Kunkel, S. R., & Kasl, S. V. (2002). Longevity increased by positive self-perceptions of aging. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(2), 261–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oh, S. C. (1996). Subjective age and perceptions of aging in middle-age Americans and Koreans: Cross-cultural and gender differences. Master’s Thesis. Waltham, Ma: Brandeis University.

  • Pohl, J. M., & Boyd, C. J. (1993). Ageism within feminism. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 25(3), 199–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodin, J., & Langer, E. J. (1980). Aging labels: The decline of control and the fall of self-esteem. Journal of Social Issues, 36(2), 12–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, D. F., & Boland, S. M. (1986). Structure of perceptions of older adults: Evidence for multiple stereotypes. Psychology and Aging, 1, 255–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sung, K. T. (1994). A cross-cultural comparison of motivations for parent care: The case of Americans and Koreans. Journal of Aging Studies, 8(2), 195–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sung, K. T. (2004). Elder respect among young adults: A cross-cultural study of Americans and Koreas. Journal of Aging Studies, 18(2), 215–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolf, N. (1991). The beauty myth. New York: Doubleday.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoon, C., Hasher, L., Feinberg, F., Rahhal, T. A., & Winocur, G. (2000). Cross-cultural differences in memory: The role of culture-based stereotypes of aging. Psychology and Aging, 15(4), 694–704.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, Brandeis University, MS 062, Waltham, MA, 02454, USA

    Rebecca J. Yun & Margie E. Lachman

Authors
  1. Rebecca J. Yun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Margie E. Lachman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Margie E. Lachman.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yun, R.J., Lachman, M.E. Perceptions of Aging in Two Cultures: Korean and American Views on Old Age. J Cross Cult Gerontol 21, 55–70 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-006-9018-y

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-006-9018-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation