Age and Culture

Attitudes towards aging do vary among cultures, with concepts of age and age-related behavioral norms being culturally bound. In spite of stereotypes that suggest some cultures honor their elders, research shows that ageism—discrimination against elders—“form of social prejudice that people from all social backgrounds have to deal with,” (Berger, 2017, p. 1). Still, culture will determine the roles assigned to people in different age brackets. Attitudes towards young adults and other age cohorts will impact the evolution of political and social institutions. For example, people under a certain age will not be considered fully able or mature enough to contribute to major decisions affecting that society. Age itself is a major factor affecting attitudes towards its own and other age groups. For instance, young people in any culture will view people their own age differently from people who are significantly younger or older. Gender also factors into the age equation, with different expectations for behaviors and roles based on both age and gender. This paper will provide an overview of attitudes and expectations with regards to three distinct cultures in the United States: Latin American, Native American, and African American. Although there are significant similarities between these three cultures, values, attitudes, and beliefs about aging are culturally embedded.
Latin American cultures have been characterized by collectivism in the society, generally, which refers to a number of different factors including strong kinship ties, and a sense of obligation to one’s family members (Fuligni, Tseng & Lam, 1999). Collectivism in turn leads to a view that age simply changes one’s role but does not lead to status depreciation. Children, adolescents, elders, young people, young adults, and seniors: all persons have a role to play, a function, and deserve respect in the society (Fuligni, Tsent & Lam, 1999). The same is true for Native Americans, which also have a strong sense of collectivism and hold positive attitudes generally towards all age cohorts including elders (Berger, 2017). More individualistic and less collectivist than their Latin American and Native American counterparts, African Americans correspondingly show more diversity in attitudes towards various age groups. In particular, African Americans express overall fears of the physical effects of aging and view seniors in terms of physical health restrictions (Corwin, Ladtika, Ladtika, et al., 2009). However, the family reunion features frequently in African American society, revealing a strong support for egalitarian views among various age cohorts. Therefore, Latin American, Native American, and African American groups all view each age group or stage of development as being important parts of the human life cycle.
Early childhood is another point of convergence between these three cultures, all of which tend to have children and raise them. Attitudes towards infants and toddlers do not vary much, given that the parents are expected to take care of their children even when the children are misbehaving, crying, pooping their pants, or acting up (“Attitudes About Aging: A Global Perspective,” 2014). Infants are generally viewed as being a population cohort that is dependent on others for their physical and emotional needs, much more so than any other age group. Toddlers are viewed as being cute or interesting at times, but also needy and dependent, unable to fend for themselves or earn money for the household. These attitudes are remarkably similar among African American, Latin American, and Native American groups in the United States. One of the main things that unites these cultures is that all of them hold similar views towards people who are between birth and two years old. Attitudes towards young children in their preschool years and elementary school years is also similar, with generally positive attitudes being expressed by people in all three of these cultures (“Attitudes About Aging: A Global Perspective,” 2014). Children are expected to obey their parents, go to school, and play with friends. Those attitudes and expectations change dramatically once the child reaches puberty, and even then, attitudes and expectations of puberty-age children will vary not just according to culture but also according to gender.
Gender may in fact be a unifying variable among Latin American, Native American, and African American cultures, determining how the culture views people in the puberty and teenage years. For example, in Latin American and African American cultures especially the females of this age cohort are viewed as in need of protection from the boys of this age cohort. Basically, adults and especially caregivers believe that people in their adolescence are volatile, unpredictable, unreliable, and impulsive. The age group as a whole is viewed as being potentially dangerous, with people being susceptible to negative influences from peers and the media. Some studies show that all three of these groups, Latin American, African American, and Native American, have fears and negative attitudes towards adolescents and especially adolescent males due to gangs and violence (Pew Research Center, 2009). Adolescents in Latin American, Native American, and African American societies also have different views towards people in other age cohorts. For instance, research shows that Native American adolescents have more negative attitudes towards their elders than any other age cohort (Berger, 2017). The same may be true for the majority of adolescents in Latin American and African American societies, with implications for how teenagers are treated in their respective cultures. Adolescents are expected to misbehave, and therefore they are treated as if they are constantly at risk for misbehaving.
Attitudes towards adults in Latin American, African American, and Native American cultures also varies depending on extraneous variables such as the age of the person holding the attitude, the gender of both the person holding the attitude and the subject, as well as socioeconomic class status. Generally, though, adults in these cultures are expected to work and contribute in some way to society, either as a cog in a machine or in a greater capacity as a leader or visionary. Adults are not supposed to be dependent on others unless they are in a position of need, such as when they are ill or incapacitated. It is expected that adults also participate in the culture’s marriage and procreation rituals, with people who do not marry possibly being ostracized or viewed as deviant in Latin American, African American, or Native American societies. However, gender plays a more important role with regards to expectations for marriage and child bearing, with females expected to be married and raise children much more so than men in their cultures. Male adults are given greater leeway for cultivating a sense of self independent from their families, their marriages, or their parenthood statuses.
Among Latin American, Native American, and African American cultures, attitudes towards elders is becoming less positive due to negative media influences in a youth-oriented society (Berger, 2017). However, these are three cultures that have tended to hold positive views towards elders, with expectations that this age cohort will continue to add wisdom to the society, will be leaders to their communities, and will offer advice and support to their family members. Elders in Latin American, African American, and Native American societies still have an important role or function to serve, with many of them being quintessentially suited to certain high status positions precisely because of their age. While it is important not to make any generalizations about any culture, particularly among those living in diverse geographic regions, attitudes towards age and different age groups is strikingly similar among Latin American, Native American, and Latin American people. Predominant attitudes are positive, influenced by factors like gender, geography, and of course, age itself.




References

“Attitudes About Aging: A Global Perspective,” (2014). Pew Research Center. http://www.pewglobal.org/2014/01/30/attitudes-about-aging-a-global-perspective/
Berger, R. (2017). Aging in America. Open Journal of Social Sciences 5(8): http://file.scirp.org/Html/15-1761515_78445.htm
Corwin, S.J., Ladtika, J.N., Ladtika, S.B., et al. (2009). Attitudes on aging well among older African Americans and whites in South Carolina. Preventing Chronic Disease 6(4): A113.
Fuligni, A.J., Tseng, V. & Lam, M. (1999). Attitudes toward family obligations among American adolescents with Asian, Latin American, and European backgrounds. Child Development 70(4): 1030-1044
Pew Research Center (2009). Between two worlds. http://www.pewhispanic.org/2009/12/11/between-two-worlds-how-young-latinos-come-of-age-in-america/