Old age and elderly people: Social representations of adolescent students

Abstract

Objective: to know the main elements of social representations about elderly people and old age among adolescents at a public high school. Method: 172 adolescents between 14 and 19 years of age participated. The free evocation of words technique was applied through the terms elderly and old age. Results: The main elements of the representations significantly designed for elderly people were: respect and disrespect, 78; experience, 49; care, 32; wisdom, 23; fragility, 19. For old age: disease, 51; retirement, 27; experience, 27; wisdom, 19; wrinkles, 17. The social representations of adolescents are strongly marked by physical, psychological and social aspects, with positive and negative aspects about old age. Conclusion: Participatory health education activities are needed to make adolescents critically reflect on and the condition of elderly people in contemporary society.