Old Age Social Thought: Attitudes and Social Representations. Pensamiento social de vejez: Actitudes y Representaciones Sociales.

Abstract

The main purpose of the present study was to review the researches about social thought on Old Age, specifically from the theory of Attitudes and from Social Representations. This not only allowed to recognize the theoretical and methodological propositions of each paradigm, but also to discuss the implications of these results for the study of social thought about Old Age, discuss future orientations and possible developments on the subject. Articles that had been published during the last fourteen years, in indexed journals, were reviewed (and that had been written in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese). Forty-eight papers complied with the inclusion criteria. These presented Old Age as a complex phenomenon, described with positive and negative assessments. Although studies on attitudes focused on studying individual differences, the socio-structural variables were relevant in the explanation of attitudes towards Old Age. Studies on social representations focused on analyzing the contextual differences and their repercussions on the content of representation, showing that Old Age cannot be understood without inquiring about the social context. After the discussion, it was concluded that studies inquiring about the social thought on Old Age should explore the relationship between the terms used to define Old Age, their meanings and the social function they have. Furthermore, they should have complex approaches that explain the link between information, attitude and socio-structural conditions (macro-micro).