Media Representations of Age | Media | AQA A-Level Sociology

This key topic video provides A Level Sociology students with an essential summary of sociological perspectives on media representations of age. A range of studies and ideas are considered along with evaluation.

• Media representations of different age groups are often based on stereotypical perceptions, impacting how individuals and society perceive people based on their age.
• Youth subcultures are frequently the focus of media attention, especially in moral panics, but stereotypical representations of various life stages persist throughout the history of media.
• In the digital age, individuals can create their own content, challenging stereotypical views, but some stereotypes still endure, influencing how age groups are portrayed in media.
• Children are commonly portrayed as innocent and in need of protection in media, with recent emphasis on portraying them as victims, particularly in cases of abuse, conflict, or poverty.
• Media stereotypes based on age tend to focus on extremes - the young and the elderly - with those in the middle often portrayed based on other social characteristics. However, changes are occurring, with more positive representations of aging due to increased purchasing power and the growth of the elderly demographic.