Changing Attitudes Toward the Elderly through Intergenerational Massage: A Case Study

Rachel Marine

Date of Award

2009

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Pittman, Chavella

Keywords

Attitude Change, Elderly, Massage, Intergenerational Relations

Area of Concentration

Social Sciences

Abstract

This descriptive study investigates the role of intergenerational massage in changing attitudes toward the elderly. Following Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance and other theories of attitude change it was hypothesized that giving massage to elderly individuals would change practitioners' attitudes toward the elderly to be more positive. Attitudes were conceptualized following Fishbein and Ajzen and operationalized using Polozzi's modified version of the Aging Semantic Differential as the instrument of measurement. The elderly serve as both the attitudinal object and the target of the action of the behavior massage.Data was collected from fifteen students of the Sarasota School of Massage engaged in a three hour session of ten minute chair massages for elderly patrons at the Senior Friendship Center. Data was collected before and after the performance of the behavior. Statistical analysis confirmed the hypothesis that attitudes toward the elderly changed significantly as a result of giving massage to the elderly. Student responses to open-ended questionnaires provided additional insight into the experiences of the participants and points to power of massage as well as intergenerational contact and learning in attitude change.

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