Current directions in views on ageing
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EDITORIAL
Current directions in views on ageing Verena Klusmann1,2 · Anna E. Kornadt3 Accepted: 28 September 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Keywords Age stereotypes · Lifespan development · Self-perceptions of ageing · Subjective ageing · Views on ageing In the year 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed an unprecedented, worldwide challenge, pairing a dangerous, viral infection with extensive measures designed to contain it. This has led to severely restricted behavioural freedoms and has been accompanied by fears and worries. Particularly striking for us as researchers in the field of views on ageing were the discussions and regulations to contain the pandemic in order to protect older people. Buttressed by our own research, for years we have been committed to the promotion of differentiated views on old age that more accurately represent the reality of ageing and older people: that is, as diverse and multidimensional (Klusmann et al. 2020; Kornadt et al., 2019). In the societal but also in the scientific dialogue surrounding the pandemic, however, older people have been treated as one, barely differentiated risk group; as vulnerable, helpless, and in need of society’s protection. Strict contact restrictions have been imposed on institutions for older people, social structures have been locked down, families have been urged to reduce contact with older relatives, and people over 65 have been temporarily banned from their workplaces and from attending events, both in public and private spaces. Family members have often taken over the daily tasks such as shopping for older relatives, sometimes even without their consent. These events have had and will continue to have a number of psychosocial Responsible Editor: Matthias Kliegel. * Verena Klusmann verena.klusmann@uni‑konstanz.de http://www.health.uni-konstanz.de/images-of-aging 1
Department of Psychology, Psychological Assessment and Health Psychology, University of Konstanz, Constance, Germany
2
Department of Psychology and Human Movement Science, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
3
Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Université du Luxembourg, Esch‑sur‑Alzette, Luxembourg
consequences—as ageing researchers have pointed out on various occasions (e.g. Ayalon et al. 2020; Ehni and Wahl 2020). Our special section of the European Journal of Ageing (EJA) is devoted to views on ageing, that is, people’s conceptions about ageing and older people that manifest both on the individual as well as on the societal level and that reflect in affect, cognition, and behaviour. All of the articles were written and accepted for publication before the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic has, however, certainly amplified the timeliness of our work. Views on ageing not only determine the age-friendliness of people’s thoughts and behaviour, but also their own personality development, preventive action, and health behaviour, not only in old age, but from early life on (Klusmann et al. 2020; Kornadt et al. 2019). The pandemic has poignantly demonst
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