Publication details
"Stárnu ale nejsem seniorkou": Sociálne reprezentácie procesu starnutia žien.
| Title in English | Social representations of women ageing |
|---|---|
| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2015 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Ceskoslovenska Psychologie/Czechoslovak Psychology |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Psychology |
| Keywords | ageing; active ageing; social representations; women; third age |
| Description | Nowadays, many European countries have implemented inclusive policy of active ageing. Our study explores interpersonally shared meanings of ageing process that are carried by the specific social group of older women, members of non-governmental organization that encourages the personal development of women after the age of fifty and their active approach towards life and society. The aim of this study is to explore the ways of creating and disseminating meanings of women ageing. The study is rooted in social constructionism and builds on lifespan and life-course perspectives. The dialogical and structural approach of the theory of social representations is applied so as to increase sensitivity in exploration of these meanings. By using methods of free associations analysis and semi-structured individual interviews, the research aim was to capture shared beliefs, values and experiences that these women attach to ageing process. Data analysis was performed by means of thematic analysis in the case of free associations, and by use of constructionists approach to grounded theory in the case of individual interviews. The analysis shows that women from this social group create and disseminate alternative forms of social representations of ageing compared to representations of ageing as an a priori biological decline and deterioration. However, despite the similar content, these social representations of ageing differ – at least in two aspects – also from the representations of active ageing. Firstly, these social representations of ageing are for these women voluntarily chosen option from the variety of other ways how to age. Secondly, the finality of life is a necessary part of such representations of ageing. |
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