Age Perception Research Articles

Media portrayal of old age and its effects on attitudes in older people: findings from a series of studies

Mass media portrayal of old age plays a great role in social perceptions of aging. However, there are hardly any empirical findings on the effects on recipients or to what extent this can change attitudes, especially amongst older people. Three types of media portrayals of old age in German news magazines were determined and used as stimulus material. In 2020, 910 participants (from 60 years) were confronted with different age frames in the course of a quasi-experimental survey. In order to substantiate the results, in 2022, 36 focused interviews were conducted with older people each of whom was presented with an age frame. This article links the central findings of both studies, with a focus on the qualitative study. The survey results showed that presenting a negative age frame led to an improvement in the self-image of old age whereas the public image of old age deteriorated significantly. After presenting a positive frame, the public image improved greatly while the self-image decreased. The interviews confirm these results. Type of reaction upon reception of the negative age frame varied between approval and clear signs of consternation. However, interviewees did not relate with the older people portrayed with personal aging often felt to be at odds with the portrayal of age shown. The positive frame was first received with pleasure and curiosity. Even so, interviewees became unsettled about how ‘modern’ aging is portrayed, some of them showing insecurity that they could not fulfil the characteristics and requirements of ‘modern’ aging. Media portrayal of age seems not to have the effects on older people as might be expected. Negative effects appear such as media portrayal making older recipients aware of their own age by presenting age in an exaggeratedly positive light in the “best agers” frame. In view of these results, the theory of social comparison processes may be used by which the media provides recipients with standards of comparison.

SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW: FAKTOR DETERMINAN IMPLEMENTASI SAK-EMKM PADA UMKM DI INDONESIA

MSMEs, as a small-scale business activity, independent and operated by families or communities, are an essential part of the Indonesian economy and play a role in increasing the economic growth of society by creating new jobs that reduce unemployment and poverty in Indonesia. This study aimed to analyze and re-discuss various studies related to the determinant factors that influence MSMEs in Indonesia in implementing Micro, Small, and Medium Entity Financial Accounting Standards (SAK-EMKM) using a Systematic Literature review (SLR). The research data were obtained from Google Scholar in 2018-2022, and 62 articles were used as data sources to be examined in more depth. The results of this research indicate that the quality of human resources, level of education, educational background, understanding of accounting, perceptions of MSME actors, organizational culture, MSME size, business age, socialization, and provision of information are determinant factors that influence the implementation of SAK-EMKM.

Successful Aging in the Indian Socio-cultural Milieu.

There is a growing recognition of the importance of subjective definitions of successful aging from a clinical and policy perspective, and for their social and cultural relevance. However, the voices of older Indians remain largely underrepresented in the emerging body of qualitative literature on successful aging. Given this gap, and India's burgeoning older population, the present study set out to examine their subjective perception of successful aging. Using convenience sampling, data was collected from older men and women (N = 63, M Age = 71.21) living in the community, and in old age homes in Delhi NCR, through face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions. Reflexive thematic analysis resulted in four primary themes and eight sub-themes - Successful Aging as Personal Well-being, Tensions between Agency and Fatalism, comprising three sub-themes viz. the person as an active agent, co-existence of agency and fatalism, and negotiating with the invisible powers; Linked Lives comprising two sub-themes viz. the aging parent and the adult child, and spousal interrelationship; and The Social and Built Environment comprising three sub-themes, viz. complexity of social life: the health interface, social life in the neighborhood, and the good house. These findings provide a culture-specific view of successful aging in the Indian context, and reveals the multifaceted conceptualization of successful aging of older Indians - one that encompasses various biopsychosocial components.

Use of Activated Platelet Rich Plasma (A-PRP) on Alopecia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analyses.

Alopecia reduces perceptions of age, beauty, success, and adaptability. Hair loss can be caused by genetic, physiological, environmental, and immunologic factors. The current treatment for alopecia is varied. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates activated platelet rich plasma (A-PRP) for alopecia treatment. The objective of this review was to assess the clinical efficacy and safety of autologous activated PRP (A-PRP) injections in alopecia patients. We compare the safety, limitations, and outcomes of A-PRP use with those of prior research on alopecia. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Database, and Google Scholar for relevant articles. We included all primary clinical studies involving patients that evaluated A-PRP. Twenty-nine articles met the eligibility criteria, which included 864 patients, and were analyzed for qualitative review. Our review found that 27 studies indicated that A-PRP is significantly effective in treating alopecia, especially for improving hair density before and after therapy (n = 184, MD = 46.5, I2 = 88%, 95% CL 29.63-63.37, P 0.00001) as well as when comparison is made between treatment and control group (n = 88, MD = 31.61, I2 = 80%, 95% CI: 6.99-56.22, P = 0.01); terminal hair density between treatment and control group (n = 55, MD = 26.03, I2 = 25%, 95% CI 8.08-43.98, P = 0.004); hair counts after therapy (n = 85, MD = 12.79, I2 = 83%, 95% CI -5.53, 31.12, P = 0.0006); promoting hair regrowth; folliculogenesis; reducing hair loss; combining with FUs surgery; and initiating the hair cycle. Two studies did not report significant results. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of A-PRP as a treatment option for alopecia. A-PRP appears to be a promising and safe method for treating alopecia.

The relationship of spiritual well-being and aging perceptions with depression in Iranian older adults: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between spiritual health and aging perception with depression in older adults in Bushehr city, 2019. The present cross-sectional study designed based on the STROBE statement on 430 elderly people. Systematic multi-stage sampling was performed with the informed consent of participants. The mean age of participants was 66.83 ± 7.91 years. The mean scores of spiritual health, physical health and aging perception were obtained 96.75 ± 10.02, 43.07 ± 4.86 and 58.65 ± 6.69, respectively. The results of the interaction between the variables of spiritual health and perception of aging on depression showed a significant relationship between these variables and depression. The results showed that spiritual health and perception of aging have a significant effect on depression. In other words, older adults who were more aware of their aging process and had higher spiritual health reported less depression.

Different Perceptıon of Organizational Policy Investigatıon of The Impact on Branch Athletes

The aim of this research is to examine the level of organizational policy perceptions of athletes who continue their sports life as licensed. 231 male and 94 female athletes participated in the research. Quantitative and survey method were used in the study. In the research, Perception of Organizational Policy in Team Sports scale was used. After the data collection process was completed, the data were transferred to SPSS 20th program. Kolmogorov Smirnov Test was used for the normality distribution of the data. Descriptive statistics (frequency, arithmetic mean, standard deviation), Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests and Pearson correlation coefficient were calculated in the analysis and interpretation of the data. Gender, age and license years were found to be significant differences as a result of the analyzes. In addition, in the correlation analysis, it was found that there was a positive relationship between the organizational policy perceptions of age and license year.

MUSEUM STAFF KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS AS DRIVERS FOR GREEN BUILDING EDUCATION IN SCIENCE MUSEUMS

ABSTRACT Green building practices are on the rise, as is research into the drivers of green building adoption and the impacts of green building on occupants. Stakeholder knowledge, organizational culture, and cost have been shown to drive decisions about green building adoption, and occupant outcomes have been studied in terms of behavior and satisfaction. However, there is little consensus about how to communicate green building features to the public—that is, how the drivers for adoption can be communicated to potential building occupants. In science museums, sustainable architecture can support organizational values and initiatives surrounding environmental sustainability, but few studies identify how those values can best be communicated to museum visitors in a green building. To begin to address this question, this research engaged eight LEED-certified museums across the U.S. to examine how the museums leveraged their buildings to educate visitors about green building technologies. Site visit documentation revealed a disparity in interpretation strategies across the museums. Interviews with museum staff illuminated both challenges and opportunities for green building education, where staff decision-making was based on their own understanding of green technologies and perceptions of audience interest, age, and politics. This work highlights the importance of institutional actors in green building messaging, with implications for how public buildings such as museums could operate as sites for green building education.

The association of psychological protective factors with caregiver mental health outcomes.

The primary objectives were to investigate the association of resilience, purpose-in-life, and social connections in additive combinations with mental health outcomes of caregivers: 1) reduced levels of loneliness and/or depression; and 2) higher levels of positive perception of aging and quality of life. The study sample was identified from adults age ≥65, who had completed a survey during May-June 2018 or May-June 2019, and self-identified as caregivers (N=1,015; 15.4%). Resilience, purpose-in-life, and social connections were dichotomized as high/low; then counted with equal weighting 0 to 3. Among caregiver respondents, 24%, 29%, 32%, and 15% had 0, 1, 2, or 3 of these protective factors, respectively. As the number of protective factors increased, loneliness and depression decreased and positive perception of aging and quality of life increased. Caregiver interventions that include a focus on psychological protective factors may help to buffer caregiving-related stress thereby improving mental health and quality of life.

신라 하대 현실 인식과 佛土觀의 변화

It is not easy to find aspects of the people's perception of realities in the ancient Korean society. The limit of historical records is thought to be the biggest factor, but fortunately, a glimpse of such aspects can be obtained since relatively many epigraph in Late Silla with which aspects of the Buddhist community can be examined, including the Zen monks’ epitaph, remain. In this paper, examples in which the Late Silla Buddhism perceived the contemporary era as the degenerate age(末法) have been examined, and although common expressions related to the degenerate age were seen, the fact that the situation perceived as the degenerate age was different depending on the subject of the Buddhist custom was able to be found. In particular, the fact that the royal family perceived the contemporary era as the degenerate age can be said as a perception deviating from the one-sided understanding that the degenerate age perception held an anti-royal feature. The background behind the spread of the degenerate age perception was due to not only the domestic situation of the proliferation of the Maitreya belief since the Jinpyo(眞表), but also the foreign situation, the return of the Zen monks by the persecution of Buddhism(破佛) of the Chinese Tang(唐) Mujong(武宗). Since the Tang’s situation of the weakening of the royal family and the rise of local power resembled the reality of Silla, Silla also perceived the degenerate age in light of the Tang which resulted in the extreme situation on the persecution of Buddhism. The Buddhist community responded actively without neglecting such reality. The thought of the Buddha Land(佛土觀), which in the previous periods had spread centering around the royal family and the royal capital, changed into a local-centered ideology, proliferated the perception of accomplishing Buddhahood(本來成佛), and attempted to overcome the crisis of chaotic reality of Late Silla. As such, the Buddhist community persistently made an effort to communicate with the society and lead the society.

Aging Out-of-Place: Perceptions of Successful Aging Among Aging Burundian Refugees in the United States.

Refugees flee their home countries due to life-threatening situations and are resettled in countries such as the United States. For older refugees, their cultural background and forced migration experience may affect how they perceive successful aging in their host countries. As such, it is important to understand how aging refugees perceive aging well to enhance their well-being in the host communities. Thus, the present study explores perceptions of successful aging among refugees in the United States. Twenty-one Burundian refugees, aged 50-67, were recruited from an upper Midwest community to participate in interviews on their perceptions of successful aging. The qualitative interviews were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Emergent themes showed that aging refugees' perceptions of successful aging were in some ways consistent with perceptions among other nonrefugee aging populations, such as perceptions related to physical functioning and health. Yet, in many ways, refugees' unique background and experiences seemed to lead to unique aging perceptions, such as perceiving an earlier onset of aging and expressing surprise and appreciation to experience old age. Study findings suggest important future directions and potential implications for refugee host regions and communities on how they can better support aging refugees as well as develop effective interventions to promote well-being.

The Relationship between Successful Aging and Health Literacy in Older Adults

Purpose. This study aims to determine the relationship between successful aging and health literacy in older adults. Design and Methods. This cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study was conducted between April and September 2021. The sample of the study comprised 379 voluntary older adults aged 65 and above who visited a health center. A descriptive information form, the adult health literacy scale, and the successful aging scale were used for data collection. Results. The levels of health literacy were low, whereas the perceptions of successful aging were high. Besides, compared to female participants, the levels of health literacy and the perceptions of successful aging were higher in male participants. Age was negatively correlated with the level of health literacy. Furthermore, health literacy levels and successful aging perceptions of married participants were high. Finally, as the education levels increased, so did the health literacy level and successful aging perceptions. Practice Implications. Health policies to promote successful aging and health literacy in adults may be developed. Besides, intervention plans to improve the health literacy levels of different age groups may be prepared. Further studies that use culture-specific scales may be conducted.

Granfluencers on TikTok: Factors linked to positive self-portrayals of older adults on social media.

Lately, there have been news reports on the rise of older content creators on various social media outlets. However, while journalists have picked up on this topic, scholars have been slow to accord it any attention. Our study delves into this topic and looks at how older TikTokers' self-perceptions of aging are expressed in their videos. Specifically, we analyze the valence of the content of these videos and factors associated with older adults' self-presentations. TikTok has only gone from strength to strength since its global launch in 2017. Even as stay-at-home orders and safe distancing protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic have led to a dramatic increase in the consumption of media across various platforms, TikTok stands out among its rivals in terms of growth and user activity. Given its wide reach, content on TikTok has the potential to influence public opinion. We collated 1,382 videos created by TikTokers aged 60 and above with at least 100,000 followers. These videos amassed over 3.5 billion views. Following previous studies, three raters coded each video for valence (negative-neutral-positive). We found that women created twice as many videos as men. The middle-old group (ages 75-84) created more videos than the young-old and oldest-old groups. Positive videos outnumbered negative ones by 10 times. As hypothesized, themes linked to positive self-portrayals were 'physical functioning' (p < .001) and 'social interaction' (p < .001). Conversely, 'cognitive functioning' (p < .001) evidenced a negative association, controlling for age and gender of the user. This is one of the first studies on older adults' self-portrayals of aging on TikTok. Our findings suggest that older adults tend to portray themselves positively across various domains on the application. If used purposefully, TikTok may serve as a promising platform for improving public perceptions of old age.

Experience of Chinese Recent Retirees on the Effects of Retirement on Healthy Ageing in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

This study examined perspectives of recent retirees in Shenzhen and Hong Kong on how retirement influenced their healthy ageing. It investigated retirees' perceptions of healthy ageing and the ways in which healthy ageing connected with retirees' transition into retirement. A qualitative design with narrative interviews was used to interview twelve recent retirees in Shenzhen and thirteen in Hong Kong. The participants elaborated their perspectives on healthy ageing, which covered physical, mental, social, and financial domains. Retirees in both cities identified healthy ageing as maintaining an independent life and avoiding becoming a burden on family members. This study found that retirement declined physical health (in parallel with raised awareness of health promotion), posed both negative and positive influences on mental health, and shrank peripheral social networks of retirees. In addition, regional social welfare systems have different impacts on retirees' financial security and social participation. Retirees in Hong Kong reported higher stress of financial security and a strong desire for labor participation. Migrant-local welfare gaps were documented by retirees in Shenzhen. This study suggested that retirement planning, establishing a multi-pillar retirement-protection system, and narrowing the welfare gap between migrants and local residents should be implemented to reinforce healthy ageing.

An Investigation into the Relationship Between Perceptions of Aging and Cognitive Engagement

The stereotype embodiment theory suggests that as we enter older adulthood we internalize our feelings about aging. This study explored the association between perceptions of aging and cognitive engagement, which is associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease; it also examined the relationship between age and perceptions of aging. Participants (154) aged between 50 and 75 with a mean age of 64.77 (SD = 6.85) completed validated questionnaires that measured perceptions of aging, level of cognitive activity, depressive symptoms and demographic items. Confounding variables were controlled for. Data were analyzed using bivariate analyses and hierarchal linear regression. A weak association between age and perceptions of aging was identified. Greater engagement in cognitive activities was predicted by more positive perceptions of aging. Age and sex were also found to be significantly related to level of cognitive engagement, with older people and females having a lifestyle higher in cognitive activities. There are no previous publications examining the association between a person’s perception of aging and the level of cognitive pastimes in later life. This study suggests that how one feels about aging may have an important role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle high in cognitive activities in older adulthood

Public perception on 'healthy ageing' in the past decade: An unsupervised machine learning of 63,809 Twitter posts

The World Health Organization (WHO) started the initiative on healthy ageing from 2016 to 2020, which has now continued into the United Nations (UN) Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021–2030. Research into healthy ageing and healthy ageing communities have emphasized that the concept of healthy ageing encompasses a plurality of views and has multiple dimensions. Anchored in a transdisciplinary approach, the present report thus aimed to investigate public perceptions of healthy ageing via a deep analysis of social media posts on Twitter. Original tweets, containing the terms “Healthy Ageing” OR “healthy aging” OR “healthyageing” OR “healthyaging”, and posted in English between 1 January 2012 and 30 June 2022 were extracted. Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) Named Entity Recognition was applied to select for individual users. Topic modelling, specifically BERTopic was used to generate interpretable topics and descriptions pertaining to the concept of healthy ageing. Subsequently, manual thematic analysis was performed by the study investigators, with independent reviews of the topic labels and themes. A total of 63,809 unique tweets were analyzed and clustered semantically into 16 topics. The public perception of healthy ageing could be broadly grouped into three themes: (1) healthy diet and lifestyle, (2) maintaining normal bodily functions and (3) preventive care. While most perceptions dovetail WHO's definition, there are some points regarding skin appearances, beauty and aging that should be closely considered in the design of initiatives in the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing and beyond.

“Aging is beautiful and graceful:” exploring college students’ perceptions of aging, older adults, and future older selves

ABSTRACT Perception of one’s own age and the aging process can influence healthy aging and encourage younger adults to be more proactive in taking care of themselves. There is a shortage of literature on college students’ self-perceptions of aging and old age. This descriptive qualitative study explored how short-term aging research training and activities influenced college students’ perceptions of aging, older adults, and their future older selves. Students were exposed to discussions about aging, the aging process, myths, a brief TED talk, and a video on positive age stereotypes in preparation for their encounter with older adults in a more extensive photovoice aging research project. Data for the study were collected using weekly guided reflections and drawing. Findings show that college students improved perceptions of aging and older adults after the short-term research training. We found cultural differences in self-perception of the onset of old age. Students perceived healthy aging in terms of biological, psychological, spiritual, and social dimensions of health. Students presented a hopeful, positive picture of their future older self as opposed to the negative stereotypic views they initially had of older adults. Reflections on one’s own aging may be crucial in encouraging younger adults to be more proactive in taking care of themselves for a healthier life in later adulthood.

Ideals and norms related to fatherhood in Europe: A comparative perspective from the European Social Survey

Objective: This study explores cross-country similarities and differences in individuals' perceptions of the ideal age and pathways to become a father, focusing on five European countries: Germany, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the UK. Background: Empirical research analyzing family-related social norms and individuals' preferences is still scarce when compared to the abundant literature on family behavior, and especially so when focusing on men rather than women. This study attempts to mitigate this gap in the literature by focusing on ideals and norms related to fatherhood. Method: Using European Social Survey data from the most recent available round (2018/2019), descriptive and multivariate regression analyses are performed to examine: (a) the ideal age to become a father; and (b) approval of men's decision to never have children, to have a child outside marriage, and to keep working full-time when having small children. Results: Findings confirm signs of convergence across countries regarding the “normalization” of postponed fatherhood, as well as increased detachment from traditional attitudes. Differences between "forerunner" and "laggard" countries with regard to family-related norms and family change are visibly narrowing. However, the ideal age for fatherhood and the approval of non-traditional life course trajectories also reflect different incentives and possibilities for the establishment of new family models provided by the gender culture and the welfare regime in each country. Conclusion: Examining social norms regarding male reproductive decisions and the exercise of fatherhood from a comparative perspective is important for understanding men’s choices and the normative social framework potentially constraining them.

Perception of Old Age and Institutions for the Elderly among the Inhabitants of Beirut, Lebanon: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Myths and stereotypes are associated with old age, sometimes depicting a negative image. Some people perceive old age as a sign of wisdom, while others consider old age a decline in independence. This study aims to explore the perceptions, opinions, and attitudes toward old age and institutions for the elderly using a representative sample of the inhabitants of Beirut. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. Results: A total of 400 individuals were questioned, of whom 7% were aged 65 years and older. The mean age that was considered old age was 64.23 years. Most of the respondents (89%) expressed worry when thinking about old age. The most prominent worries were health concerns (38.4%) and the loss of autonomy (23.7%). Despite a positive perception of homes for the elderly, only 3.5% had an elderly relative in such institutions. A total of 33.5% of the respondents agreed to pay for the services in such institutions, and 28.3% suggested an increase in compulsory levies to improve the care of people in such institutions. Conclusions: The respondents had a negative perception of old age, which was marked by pessimism about their health and autonomy. This indicates an urgent need for action to improve people’s perceptions and attitudes toward old age.

WHO FEELS MORE DEPRIVED: THE EFFECT OF AGE AND EDUCATION ON PERCEPTION OF DEPRIVATION

Who feels more deprived in Turkey? What is the role of demographic factors in this perception of deprivation? This study is a search for an answer to these questions. Accordingly, we first examined four models of relative deprivation perception. We considered Davis's, Runciman's, Gurr's, and Crosby's models of explaining relative deprivation. The common point addressed by all four models is that the perception of relative deprivation is based on social comparisons that occur at the individual or group level. Therefore, the perception of deprivation refers to a state of mind and occurs when a person is at a disadvantage when comparing himself/herself to a reference point. In Turkey, one of the most important reference points in social comparisons is the type of political party supported. Secondly, we examined the effect of age and education level on the perception of individual-based relative deprivation, which varies according to the type of political party in Turkey. The results obtained in the present analyses show that the perception of relative deprivation varies according to the age level but does not differ depending on educational level. Participants aged 18-24 who did not experience the 2002 crisis feel more deprived and unhappy. However, older respondents who experienced the 2002 crisis and the preceding 80s and 90s feel less deprivation and discontent than younger people.

Connecting Childhood and Old Age in Popular Media ed. by Vanessa Joosen (review)

Reviewed by: Connecting Childhood and Old Age in Popular Media ed. by Vanessa Joosen Brianna Anderson (bio) Connecting Childhood and Old Age in Popular Media, edited by Vanessa Joosen. U of Mississippi P, 2018. Cultural narratives often depict children and old people as occupying similar life stages. Typically, these comparisons are rather unflattering, characterizing both age groups as dependent on the care of others, passive, physically weak, and voiceless. Other representations frame the elderly and the young as natural enemies. For instance, as Vanessa Joosen observes, discourses surrounding Brexit portrayed the elderly as selfish parasites intent on robbing resources from the youth. These troubling representations reflect pervasive ageism in Western culture, which often diminishes the agency of the very young and old. Connecting Childhood and Old Age in Popular Media examines how popular media complicates, counters, or reinscribes dominant constructions of childhood and old age. Edited by Joosen, the collection originated during a 2015 workshop hosted by the Platform for a Cultural History of Children's Media at the University of Antwerp. The book features an introduction by Joosen and twelve essays that each explore the same central concept: popular culture inextricably links childhood and old age. The authors investigate how this metaphorical resemblance between the two age groups shapes representations of intergenerational conflict and interactions in a rich corpus of Western and Eastern Asian narratives. The examined texts span the mid-nineteenth century to the present day and include advertisements, books, films, and television shows. The interdisciplinary field of age studies guides all the readings, allowing the authors to provide nuanced socio-historical readings of the links between childhood and old age. Joosen's introduction provides a succinct overview of shifting perceptions of childhood and old age throughout history. She traces the origins of the puer senex trope back to late antiquity. This literary motif collapses the elderly and youth into a single archetype, characterizing both age groups with similar features and levels of maturity. Along [End Page 238] with the puer senex, Joosen identifies three patterns that influence how narratives connect childhood and old age: affinity, conflict, and complementarity. Affinity refers to the perceived strengths, weaknesses, and values shared by children and the elderly. Conflict-oriented media centers on intergenerational competition and struggles. Complementary narratives frame the old and young as united by their differences. The collected essays explore how these three patterns and the puer senex manifest in media featuring children, as well as how they shape popular constructions of old age and youth. By focusing on these archetypes, Joosen contends, "these chapters make it clear how age is always enacted and acquires meaning in interdependence with other stages in life" (21). In other words, the authors regard childhood and old age as performative roles that map onto each other in sometimes harmful but often insightful and provocative ways. The collection loosely groups the twelve chapters into three clusters organized by medium: literature, film, and television. The opening cluster comprises five chapters organized by the analyzed texts' publication dates. The first three chapters provide helpful historical context for the rest of the collection by centering pre-twentieth-century children's literature. In "United by God and Nature: Johanna Spyri's Heidi and Her Relationship with the Elderly," Ingrid Tomkowiak examines how God and religion strengthen complementary intergenerational relationships between Heidi and her elderly caretakers. Next, Mayajo Murai's "Happily Ever After for the Old in Japanese Fairy Tales" offers one of the strongest analyses in the collection. Murai juxtaposes representations of the elderly and youth in Japanese and Western fairy tales. She contends that "[w]hereas the elderly are cast in a supporting role to the coming-of-age plot of the Grimm tales, Japanese fairy tales cast the old as protagonists, who go through adventures themselves and attain eternal bliss when their kindness toward the magical child is finally rewarded" (58). Murai speculates that contemporary transcultural influences between the two cultural traditions could help audiences imagine new relationships between the elderly and youth. Rounding out the historical literature section, Elisabeth Wesseling's "Vitalizing Childhood Through Old Age in Hector Malot's Sans famille: An Intersectional Perspective" analyzes how gender politics and naturalism influence intergenerational relationships in...