TEST: DO I HAVE AGEIST PERCEPTIONS, ATTITUDES OR BEHAVIOURS?
Test: Am I ageist?
Ageism is an age-based form of discrimination. It is a multi-faceted issue, involving both benevolent and hostile perceptions, attitudes and behaviours toward older adults which we can internalize and perpetuate without always realizing it.
To break with ageism, we need to be aware of these thoughts and actions that can have a significant impact on the lives of older adults.
The purpose of this test is to draw your attention to your own ageist perceptions, attitudes and behaviours, so that you can better understand and act on them. This test, adapted from the Relating to Old People Evaluation (ROPE) and Ambivalent Ageism Scale (AAS) tests, will place your answers on a continuum from hostile to benevolent ageism.
Of course, the idea here is not to induce guilt: Everyone has different conceptions of aging and we can all sometimes act in an ageist way without even realizing it.
Note that this test is an adaptation of the ROPE and AAS scales. Although these tests have been rigorously validated in different situations, they are made available in the non-scientifically controlled context of this website for information purposes only.
QUESTION ... OF ...
Question will be inserted here automatically
Disagree
Agree
Disagree
Agree
Here is your result
Results with a high “benevolent” score mean that you perceive older adults as being vulnerable, in need of being taken care of, unable to care for themselves and unable to make their own decisions. Despite your good intentions, these prejudices may manifest as patronizing behaviours that take away the person’s right to speak and act.
A “hostile” result indicates that the prejudices you have regarding older adults manifest as deliberate and hurtful words and behaviours. These prejudices may result from a lack of contact with a diverse population of older adults or a fear of aging.
Refer to the section on ageism to better understand the causes, issues and impacts of ageism.
Refer to the “Agir face à l’âgisme” section to learn how to break with ageism.
// --------------------------------------------------------
// voici la liste des questions
// (le H ou B devant la question indique si la réponse augmente le pointage 'hostile' ou le pointage 'bienveillant')
// --------------------------------------------------------
var language = "en";
var questions = [
["H", "Even when they say they want to, older people should not be allowed to work since they are frail and can injure themselves."],
["B", "I hold doors open for older people (but not for younger people)."],
["H", "Older people are generally cranky."],
["B", "I protect older people from the harsh realities of society."],
["B", "I have asked an older person for advice based on the fact that it would be nice to have a more experienced perspective on the matter. "],
["H", "I make demeaning jokes about older people regarding their age."],
["H", "I have ignored or avoided contact with older people because of their age."],
["B", "To avoid injury, I advise older people against doing certain things since I believe they are unable to do them because of their age."],
["H", "I am especially annoyed by older people driving slowly in traffic."],
["H", "When an older person suffers from an ailment, I often think that it's predictable at their age."],
["H", "Older people are too easily offended."],
["H", "Older people interpret harmless remarks about their age as attacks on them."],
["B", "I usually repeat what I say to seniors because I've noticed that they rarely understand what people say the first time around."],
["B", "I often speak louder or more slowly to older people because of their age."],
["H", "Older people exaggerate the problems they encounter in society."],
["B", "I speak more slowly to older people so that they will better understand what I'm saying."],
["B", "I protect older people from bad news since I don't think they are well equipped to deal with it."],
["B", "I offer help to older people that I would not offer to younger people."],
["H", "I have dismissed an older person's opinion by making statements such as \"Okay, boomer.\""],
["B", "I compliment older people on how good they look for their age."]
];