The portrayal of old age in mass media significantly shapes societal perceptions of aging. While existing research has primarily focused on analyzing media content, empirical evidence on the attitudinal effects on recipients, particularly older adults, remains scarce. This study addresses this gap by investigating how different media portrayals of old age influence the self-image and public image of aging among older adults. The aging population in Germany, with a significant proportion over 66, necessitates understanding the impact of age frames within the public discourse. This is particularly important because these portrayals influence societal negotiations on aging, intergenerational relationships, and the welfare state. This study leverages a framing approach, identifying common portrayal patterns in German news magazines, operationalizing them as distinct frames, and subsequently using them as stimuli to assess the responses of older adults. The core research question revolves around how older people react to media portrayals of old age, and how these portrayals affect their attitudes toward both the public image and their self-image of aging.

Several socio-psychological theories provide potential frameworks for understanding the effects of media portrayals on attitudes towards aging. Terror management theory suggests that negative portrayals focusing on frailty and mortality could be threatening. The internalization hypothesis posits that older adults internalize negative stereotypes, potentially harming self-concept. Conversely, positive portrayals might bolster self-image. Resilience theory, however, proposes a resistance to transferring negative public images to self-image. The social comparison hypothesis suggests that individuals may use media portrayals as reference points for self-evaluation, engaging in either downward or upward comparisons to maintain self-esteem. The reinforcer hypothesis emphasizes that pre-existing self-image strongly influences the reception and experience of media portrayals. Existing research primarily concentrates on content analysis of media representations of aging, with limited empirical investigation into the attitude-changing effects on recipients.

This study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining a quantitative quasi-experimental survey with a qualitative study using semi-standardized interviews. The quantitative survey, conducted in 2020, involved 910 participants (aged 60-94) across three experimental groups. Each group received one of three prototypical age frames derived from a content analysis of German news magazines (Spiegel, Stern, and Focus). The survey measured self-image and public image indicators before and after exposure to the frames. The qualitative study, conducted in 2021, involved 36 focused interviews with older adults, again using the same three frames as stimuli. The interviews explored participants' emotional reactions, assessments of the articles' authenticity, identification with portrayals, and perceptions of intergenerational relationships. Content analysis was utilized for both the initial frame identification and the analysis of interview transcripts. The quantitative data used Student's t-test for dependent samples to assess significant differences, with significance at p<0.001. The qualitative data analysis used Mayring's qualitative content analysis framework. Theoretical saturation was observed after 27 interviews. The study involved a detailed literature review to guide the development of the survey instrument, incorporating measures of public and self-image of old age from the German Aging Survey. The selection of participants aimed for socio-demographic breadth, recruited through senior citizen's associations and personal contacts. The study participants were ensured anonymity and confidentiality.

Three distinct age frames were identified: 'age as decline' (depicting old age negatively), 'age as a (super) power' (portraying older people as a powerful political force), and 'age as a new dawn' (showing old age positively, focusing on 'best agers'). The quantitative survey results showed a significant divergence between self-image and public image responses. Exposure to the 'age as decline' frame moderately improved participants' self-image while significantly deteriorating their public image of old age. Conversely, the 'age as a new dawn' frame significantly improved the public image but decreased self-image in some areas. The 'age as (super) power' frame showed less pronounced changes. Qualitative interviews supported these findings. Participants' reactions to the 'age as decline' frame ranged from agreement to consternation, although they often felt distanced from the portrayed situation. The 'age as (super) power' frame was largely perceived as implausible and provocative, while the 'age as a new dawn' frame initially elicited positive responses but later generated feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. The interviews also revealed varied perceptions of intergenerational relationships influenced by the specific frame, with the 'age as (super) power' frame suggesting a more conflictual portrayal. The study also included comparisons of self image and public image with the use of means at a group level without before-and-after measurements.

The findings support the social comparison theory, suggesting that media portrayals serve as comparison standards impacting self-esteem. Negative portrayals led to downward social comparison ('It's the others that are old, not me'), while overly positive portrayals resulted in upward comparison, causing self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy. The differing responses highlight the complexity of media influence, challenging assumptions based solely on content analysis. While the study focused on short-term effects, the results suggest the need for further research examining longer-term impacts and incorporating individual differences. The study also contributes to a limited body of empirical research on media's impact on attitudes towards aging, particularly emphasizing the divergence between public and self-image responses.

This study provides valuable insights into the ambivalent effects of media portrayals of old age on older adults' attitudes. Findings suggest that simple content analysis of media portrayals is insufficient for predicting their impact. The results support the theory of social comparison processes and emphasize the need to consider both public and self-image when assessing the influence of media representations. Further research should explore the long-term effects, the influence of individual factors, and the potential for interventions to counteract negative ageist portrayals in media. The study also calls for the exploration of media portrayals using discourse analysis.

Several limitations should be considered. First, the study used textual frames rather than naturally occurring portrayals. Second, the study only measured short-term effects. Third, the number of indicators used for measuring public and self-image was limited. Fourth, the analysis did not consider individual level before-and-after changes. Fifth, the study did not investigate the influence of pre-existing beliefs on reception, nor was a power analysis conducted to determine sample size. While the qualitative study addressed some of these weaknesses, the absence of a discourse-analytic approach to the qualitative data represents another limitation.