factors and effect of negative attitude of young generation towards older people”

Institute of Business Management© 2011

“The possible factors and effect of negative attitude of young generation towards older people”

Introduction to Psychology

Table of Content

S no. Title Page No.

1. Acknowledgment 12. Executive Summary 23. Introduction 3

Definition 3 Role of Older people in the society 3 Opinion of young generation towards older people 4

4. Methodology 55. Results 66. Discussions 77. Conclusions 78. Reference 89. Appendix A (Graphs) 9

10. Appendix B (Questionnaire) 13


AcknowledgementMiss Nadia Ayub has been a

constant source of help and

inspiration to us throughout our

research report and finding. We

would also like to thanks

Institute of Business

Management for giving us the

permission to carry out our

research within her premises

and let us use its resources, we

would also like to thanks all

those who made a very

significant and much

appreciated contribution in our

research and helped us in

finding result.


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The aim of our study was to find the factors that are provoking the attitude of young generation towards the older people and what are the consequences of such behavior. The possible factors and effect of young generation towards older people is suggested hypothesis of our research. Independent Variables are the factors such as generation gap, media, and western culture. Dependent Variable is the attitude of young generation towards the older people. Participant on whom the research was conducted was either male or female mostly between the age group of 18-24 years. Our survey was done in Institute of Business Management so participants were students of bachelors and masters level. There were total 15 questions in our questionnaire which were rating based from 1 to 5. 1 is strongly disagreed and 5 is strongly agreed respectively.


IntroductionDEFINITION:

The boundary between middle age and old age cannot be defined exactly because it does not have the same meaning in all societies. People can be considered old because of certain changes in their activities or social roles. Examples: people may be considered old when they become grandparents, or when they begin to do less or different work—retirement. Senior citizen is a common polite designation for an elderly person in both UK and US English, and it implies or means that the person is retired. This in turn implies or in fact means that the person is over the retirement age, which varies according to country. Synonyms include pensioner in UK English and retiree and senior in US English. Some dictionaries describe widespread usage of "senior citizen" already for people over the age of 65, which is not a common retirement age "Senior citizen" is replacing the term old-age pensioner traditionally used in UK English. When defined in an official context, "senior citizen" is often used for legal or policy-related reasons in determining who is eligible for certain benefits available to the age group. It is used in general usage instead of traditional terms such as "old person", "old-age pensioner", or "elderly" as a courtesy and to signify continuing relevance of and respect for this population group as "citizens" of society, of "senior" rank. Old people have limited regenerative abilities and are more prone to disease, syndromes, and sickness than other adults. For the biology of ageing, see senescence. The medical study of the aging process is gerontology, and the study of diseases that afflict the elderly is geriatrics.

ROLE OF SENIOR CITIZENS IN SOCIETY:

The senior citizens have a pivotal role to play in the progress of our nation. People beyond sixty years gain much knowledge and are rich in experience. They can actively participate in the administration. Though indirectly they can comment or criticize the government policies and suggested amendatory measures. Though weak in body, they have minds that can ably suggest amendments for government policies and measures. Having suffered the ins and outs of employment, they can readily understand what are employee-favorable and what are atrocious among the decisions taken by the government and act as check against the mean and unwise decisions of the government. This role can be taken by those senior citizens who are dynamic and secular-minded.


The other kind senior citizens who are placed and spiritually bent can take up the work of making the youth understand our cultural values and help them live up to our tradition. These people can help the youth to improve in pity and compassion for the weak, the disabled and the orphaned and participate in welfare measures for them. Thus they can motivate them to be guardians of the neglected and the disowned and practice the essence of spirituality. So whatever might be the temperament of a senior citizen he can play his part well, provided has the inclination.

OPINION OF YOUNG GENERATION:

The attitude of young generation towards senior citizens has changed these days as compared to the older days. This is due to the generation gap and influence of western culture as well. These days young generation thinks that senior citizens are interfering in their life which they feel a bit annoying. And for that they shift them to old homes so that they could not interfere in their life and by that behavior they feel very bad and feel separated from the family. And on these basis we can see that majority of families are broken these days.

METHODOLOGY:

We did survey method for our research for which we made a questionnaire which comprised of 15 rating based questions. Participants who filled the questionnaire are the students from Institute of Business Management who are in bachelors and Masters Level. There were total 30 participants out of which 60% were male and 40% were female. There were mostly between the age group of 18-24 years. Generation gap, media influence and western culture were the independent variable of the research and the attitude of young’s towards older people was the dependent variable of the research. Questionnaire depicts opinion of the participant that how strongly they agree, disagree or they have no idea with the questions which were asked. Before they surveyed they were briefed about the purpose of the research and were informed about the ethics of the research. They were told that they have the right of refusal to participate and can withdraw from the research at anytime they want without any adverse effect. They were also told about the possible risk or benefit of the research and were made sure that their information will be remained confidential.

RESULTS:

Questions 1 2 3 4 5


Strongly Disagreed

Disagreed

No idea

Agreed Strongly agreed

To what extent do you prefer living in a joint family system?

10% 21% 17% 31% 21%

To what extent do you prefer eating with older people at your home?

10% 10% 17% 34% 28%

To what extent you will prefer spending a weekend with older people?

3% 21% 28% 41% 7%

To what extent do you seek opinion of older people in your decision making?

10% 10% 21% 45% 14%

Does seeking opinion of older people help you? 10% 7% 14% 41% 28%

To what extent media influence your attitude with older people?

1% 14% 34% 37% 14%

To what extent generation gap is responsible for our negative attitude towards older people?

1% 24% 23% 38% 14%

Do you think western culture is the strong factor behind our negative attitude towards senior citizens?

17% 17% 21% 21% 24%


7% 24% 24% 24% 21%

To what extent do you agree that negative attitude of young generation towards older people in our society exists?

1% 14% 17% 52% 16%

To what extent do you agree that negative attitude of youngster are affecting the physical health?

1% 14% 31% 45% 9%

To what extent do you agree that negative attitude of youngster are affecting the mental health?

7% 7% 38% 24% 21%

What extent do you agree that older people promotes cultural values of our society?

1% 7% 28% 27% 38%

To what extent do you agree that there should me a recreational activity center for older people in our society?

14% 10% 24% 10% 42%

DISCUSSION: According to the participants around 31% agreed to live in a joint family but on the other hand 21% disagreed, this may be because now a day’s youth like to live independently and want space from their parents. Around 37% agreed that they like to spend time with the elder people but on contrary 17% clearly disagreed to spend time with their elder people at home. 44% agreed that they like to get opinion of their elders in decision making and it really help them on the same hand 19% disagreed that they like to get opinion and don’t help them out, may be this is conflict is because of their traditional thinking and the modern perception.


Around 20% participants have no idea what are the factors behind negative behavior of youngster. 52% agreed that negative attitude of youngster towards older people prevails in our society. 30% agreed that negative attitude of youngster effects the mental and physical health. 35% has a perception that an older person plays an important role in our life and they promote our cultural values. 42% strongly says that there should be an recreational activity centers for older people.

CONCLUSION:

Senior citizens are a very important part of our lives and for that we must take care of them and should give them every type of facility and spend time with them. Rather than shifting them to that old homes.

Because there is a saying “Tit for Tat” the way you will treat your elders the same thing is going to happen with you as well.

Remember that:

“History repeats itself.”

Reference


www.google.com

www.wikipedia.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senior_citizen

https://encrypted.google.com/#hl=en&sa=X&q=senior+citizen&tbs=dfn:1&tbo=u&ei=mjJBTqrlJtCIrAeT99imBw&ved=0CBgQkQ4&bav=

on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=2efe89794edd7b49&biw=1024&bih=677


https://encrypted.google.com/#hl=en&sa=X&q=senior+citizen&tbs=dfn:1&tbo=u&ei=mjJBTqrlJtCIrAeT99imBw&ved=0CBgQkQ4&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=2efe89794edd7b49&biw=1024&bih=677



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senior_citizen

http://www.wikipedia.com/

http://www.google.com/

Appendix A

St. Disagreed Disagreed No Idea Agreed St. Agreed0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%

10%21% 17%

31%21%

To what extent do you prefer living in a joint family system?

St. Disagreed Disagreed No Idea Agreed St. Agreed0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

10% 10% 17%34% 28%

To what extent do you prefer eating with older people at your home?


10%20%30%40%50%

10% 10%21%

45%

14%

To what extent do you seek opinion of older people in your decision making?


10%

20%

30%

40%

10% 7%14%

41%28%

Does seeking opinion of older people help you?


1%14%

34%37%

14%


St. DisagreedDisagreedNo IdeaAgreedSt. Agreed

1%

24%

23%38%

14%

To what extent media influence your attitude with older people?


17%

17%

21%

21%

24%

Do you think western culture is the strong factor behind our negative at-titude towards senior citizens?



7%

24%

24%

24%

21%

To what extent our negative attitudes towards older people are because of generation gap?


1% 14%

17%

52%

16%

To what extent do you agree that negative attitude of young generation towards older people in our society exists?


1% 14%

31%45%

9%

To what extent do you agree that negative attitude of youngster are af-fecting the physical health?



7%7%

38%24%

21%

To what extent do you agree that negative attitude of youngster are af-fecting the mental health?


1%7%

28%

27%

38%

To what extent do you agree that older people promotes cultural values of our society?



Appendix BDemographics:

Age 18-20yrs 20-24yrs 24+Gender Male FemaleSemester Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior

INSTRUCTIONS:

Please circle the response with the each statement given below.

1 2 3 4 5Strongly Disagree

Disagree No idea Agree Strongly Agree

1. To what extent do you prefer living in a joint family system?

1 2 3 4 5

2. To what extent do you prefer eating with older people at your home?

1 2 3 4 5

3. To what extent you will prefer spending a weekend with older people?

1 2 3 4 5

4. To what extent do you seek opinion of older people in your decision making?

1 2 3 4 5

5. Does seeking opinion of older people help you?

1 2 3 4 5

6. How much you will rate your behavior with older citizen?


1 2 3 4 5

7. To what extent media influence your attitude with older people?

1 2 3 4 5

8. To what extent generation gap is responsible for our negative attitude towards older people?

1 2 3 4 5

9. Do you think western culture is the strong factor behind our negative attitude towards senior citizens?

1 2 3 4 5

10. To what extent generation gap is responsible for our negative attitude towards older people?

1 2 3 4 5

11. To what extent do you agree that negative attitude of young generation towards older people in our society exists?

1 2 3 4 5

12. To what extent do you agree that negative attitude of youngster are affecting the physical health?

1 2 3 4 5

13. To what extent do you agree that negative attitude of youngster are affecting the mental health?

1 2 3 4 514. To what extent do you agree that older people promotes cultural values

of our society?

1 2 3 4 5


15. To what extent do you agree that there should me a recreational activity center for older people in our society?

1 2 3 4 5


factors and effect of negative attitude of young generation towards older people”

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