Ageism: The Main Directions of Research in Modern Conditions

Abstract

Research on the nature and consequences of ageism, focused on the study of the limitations of the older generation’s participation in labor activity, has become relevant in recent years due to changes in the age structure of society. The coronavirus pandemic has increased the spread of ageism towards the older generation, since this age group is at greater risk of developing serious illness from COVID-19. The article presents the results of a bibliometric analysis of ageism research in modern conditions, in particular in the context of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The aim of the work was to study the diversity of research in the field of ageism based on the definition of thematic clusters of research areas actively developing on this issue. The logic of the conducted research included systematization of the theoretical foundations of ageism studies, assessment of the current state of solving the age discrimination problem, identification of clusters and research trends related to age discrimination that identify a close relationship between discriminatory practices and age-related perception stereotypes concerning the older generation. The methodological approach of the research was based on a bibliometric analysis and consisted in the use of VOSviewer software tools. The material for the analysis was 2,066 articles on the topic of ageism published from 1975 till 2021 in the Web of Science database. The material was analyzed using bibliometry and visualization methods. The obtained results indicate an increase in the number of research on the problems of ageism, including such areas as gerontology, psychology, educational research, nursing, business and economics, social work, etc. The bibliometric analysis shows that North American and European countries lead in the development of this problem. As a result of the research, the following thematic clusters were identified: “Attitudes and Perception Stereotypes”, “Employment of Older People”, “Gerontology”, and “Medical Care”. The results of the study will allow finding opportunities for scientific collaborations to jointly study this problem.