Young Children's Perceptions of Old People

Abstract

Thirty‐five preschool‐age children were asked to order drawings of young, middle, and old‐ aged people from oldest to youngest. Subjects were asked to assign adjective descriptions to the pictures representing each age. Significant associations were found between the type of response given by subjects and the age of the male and female figure drawings (p < .001). The number of positive adjectives assigned to old figures was correlated with the time subjects spent with people over the age of sixty‐five. There was a significant association between the number of positive adjective assignments and the amount of time spent with an elderly babysitter (p < .001) and an elderly neighbor (p < .02). Results are discussed in relation to changes in family life, and suggestions are made for improving young children's impressions of elderly individuals.