ABSTRACT
Many people associate aging with a decline in both physical and mental capacity — they equate advancing age with a loss of health, vitality and, for some, a loss of apparent value in a society that is laser-focused on youth. Although variations of intensity have been noted based on cultural differences, ageism is deeply embedded in societal perceptions of the elderly (Carroll, 2007 ). And while these biases often appear in a subtle fashion, they can also take the form of more overt biases. One example of ageism can be seen in the fi lm industry. Although seemingly created for pure entertainment and profi t, movies can give us a unique glimpse into the complex mechanisms of the American psyche, including biased views of the physical and mental abilities associated with the young and the old.
