Good news for the oldies
Discussion
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16530092-421,00.html
[quote=news.com.au]
Life begins at 40 - but old age hits at 65
From:
By Fiona Macrae
September 08, 2005
TURNING 40 has traditionally been time to commiserate, rather than celebrate, but it seems most of us don't feel middle-aged until we hit 49, research has shown.
And females over 40 are enjoying the best sex of their lives and feel "more adventurous in bed" than when they were in their 20s, a separate survey has found.
Most people believe youth lasts until they hit 49 and old age starts at 65, according to a study by the University of Kent in Britain.
The findings are likely to be embraced by such party-loving 40-year-olds as UK babe Elizabeth Hurley.
But 49-year-olds such as Sex and the City's Kim Cattrall, Mel Gibson, Mimi Rogers, Tom Hanks, Jerry Hall and Geena Davis may be less cheered by the spectre of old age just around the corner.
Researchers also found women are more reluctant to let go of their youth than men.
They believe they become middle-aged five years after men - and enter old age three years later.
In the working world, most people would prefer an older boss but few have time for ageing employees.
British social psychologist Professor Dominic Abrams found that ageism is the most common sort of prejudice.
Older people - those in their 70s and above - are typically seen as being incompetent, while those under 30 are stereotyped as unfriendly.
Only during the brief period of middle age do people escape the worst effects of stereotyping.
He said: "Age prejudice seems to be ubiquitous in society. Older people are always seen as friendlier than younger people. Younger people are always seen as more competent and more capable than older people.
"Older people are seen as doddery and dear and younger people are perceived as clever but callous. More youthful is more useful.
"The most comfortable period seems to be middle age, when there is significantly less prejudice."
The study looked at how about 2000 people perceive prejudice.
More than four in 10 said they had experienced some sort of prejudice in the past year, with the most common problem being ageism.
Asked when they believed youth ended, the average given was 49. But the answer varied with the age of the person being questioned.
Men aged 24 believed old age began at 55 and 62-year-old women believing they had not long entered middle age.
Ageism is particularly prevalent in the workplace, where most people said they would be happy to have someone over 70 as their boss.
But many also believed that while pensioners make good managers, they no longer have what it takes to be part of the general workforce.
Young high-achievers can also be penalised for their success.
"People thought that organisations may avoid employing older people to protect their image," Professor Abrams told the British Association Festival of Science in Dublin yesterday.
"However, the majority of respondents said they would feel comfortable with a suitably-qualified boss who was aged over 70.
"Those just entering or leaving the workforce also said they would feel happy with a "This shows that youth can be a target for age-related prejudice. When a younger person has the opportunity to achieve status above that of his or her elders this may pose a threat.
"People feel more comfortable with the idea that those with seniority and power should be older."
He added that with 37 per cent of the UK population forecast to be over 60 by 2041, ageism was an issue that must be taken seriously.
[i]Sex begins at 40[/i]
Meanwhile, women who fear their romantic years will be behind them at 40 are in for a pleasant surprise.
Females over 40 are enjoying the best sex of their lives and feel "more adventurous in bed" than when they were in their 20s, a survey reveals.
And it is married women who are having the most fun.
According to research by UK magazine Health Plus, middle-aged women are more satisfied because they feel more self-assured about their body.
Respondents also said their sex lives were reinvigorated when their children flew the nest, giving them less stress and more privacy.
"Older women have a greater capacity for satisfying sex than younger women," relationships expert Julia Cole said.
"They know what they like and often have intense orgasms because they don't settle for groping and a lack of experience. In short, older women are better lovers and more likely to be multi-orgasmic."
In the survey of 2000 women aged over 40, almost eight in ten said sex was better now than in their 20s.
And almost seven in 10 said that the best sex they had experienced was in a marital relationship. [/quote]
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16530092-421,00.html
[quote=news.com.au]
Beauty now begins at 30
From:
September 08, 2005
WOMEN in their 30s are now considered more beautiful than their 20-something counterparts, a survey of Australian women has found.
The shift in womens' perceptions of female beauty have been helped by the popularity of TV shows like Desperate Housewives, featuring women beyond their 20s, a popular culture expert has said.
Dr Karen Brooks, senior lecturer in Australian and cultural studies at the University of the Sunshine Coast, said there had been a rise in popularity of women once thought "on the scrap heap".
Dr Brooks said this had come at the expense of "empty" young celebrities.
The survey by cosmetic distributor The Heat Group of 1356 women found 50 per cent believed a woman was most beautiful in her 30s, not her 20s.
Twenty-eight per cent picked the 20s and 16 per cent selected the 40s. [/quote]
[quote=news.com.au]
Life begins at 40 - but old age hits at 65
From:
By Fiona Macrae
September 08, 2005
TURNING 40 has traditionally been time to commiserate, rather than celebrate, but it seems most of us don't feel middle-aged until we hit 49, research has shown.
And females over 40 are enjoying the best sex of their lives and feel "more adventurous in bed" than when they were in their 20s, a separate survey has found.
Most people believe youth lasts until they hit 49 and old age starts at 65, according to a study by the University of Kent in Britain.
The findings are likely to be embraced by such party-loving 40-year-olds as UK babe Elizabeth Hurley.
But 49-year-olds such as Sex and the City's Kim Cattrall, Mel Gibson, Mimi Rogers, Tom Hanks, Jerry Hall and Geena Davis may be less cheered by the spectre of old age just around the corner.
Researchers also found women are more reluctant to let go of their youth than men.
They believe they become middle-aged five years after men - and enter old age three years later.
In the working world, most people would prefer an older boss but few have time for ageing employees.
British social psychologist Professor Dominic Abrams found that ageism is the most common sort of prejudice.
Older people - those in their 70s and above - are typically seen as being incompetent, while those under 30 are stereotyped as unfriendly.
Only during the brief period of middle age do people escape the worst effects of stereotyping.
He said: "Age prejudice seems to be ubiquitous in society. Older people are always seen as friendlier than younger people. Younger people are always seen as more competent and more capable than older people.
"Older people are seen as doddery and dear and younger people are perceived as clever but callous. More youthful is more useful.
"The most comfortable period seems to be middle age, when there is significantly less prejudice."
The study looked at how about 2000 people perceive prejudice.
More than four in 10 said they had experienced some sort of prejudice in the past year, with the most common problem being ageism.
Asked when they believed youth ended, the average given was 49. But the answer varied with the age of the person being questioned.
Men aged 24 believed old age began at 55 and 62-year-old women believing they had not long entered middle age.
Ageism is particularly prevalent in the workplace, where most people said they would be happy to have someone over 70 as their boss.
But many also believed that while pensioners make good managers, they no longer have what it takes to be part of the general workforce.
Young high-achievers can also be penalised for their success.
"People thought that organisations may avoid employing older people to protect their image," Professor Abrams told the British Association Festival of Science in Dublin yesterday.
"However, the majority of respondents said they would feel comfortable with a suitably-qualified boss who was aged over 70.
"Those just entering or leaving the workforce also said they would feel happy with a "This shows that youth can be a target for age-related prejudice. When a younger person has the opportunity to achieve status above that of his or her elders this may pose a threat.
"People feel more comfortable with the idea that those with seniority and power should be older."
He added that with 37 per cent of the UK population forecast to be over 60 by 2041, ageism was an issue that must be taken seriously.
[i]Sex begins at 40[/i]
Meanwhile, women who fear their romantic years will be behind them at 40 are in for a pleasant surprise.
Females over 40 are enjoying the best sex of their lives and feel "more adventurous in bed" than when they were in their 20s, a survey reveals.
And it is married women who are having the most fun.
According to research by UK magazine Health Plus, middle-aged women are more satisfied because they feel more self-assured about their body.
Respondents also said their sex lives were reinvigorated when their children flew the nest, giving them less stress and more privacy.
"Older women have a greater capacity for satisfying sex than younger women," relationships expert Julia Cole said.
"They know what they like and often have intense orgasms because they don't settle for groping and a lack of experience. In short, older women are better lovers and more likely to be multi-orgasmic."
In the survey of 2000 women aged over 40, almost eight in ten said sex was better now than in their 20s.
And almost seven in 10 said that the best sex they had experienced was in a marital relationship. [/quote]
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16530092-421,00.html
[quote=news.com.au]
Beauty now begins at 30
From:
September 08, 2005
WOMEN in their 30s are now considered more beautiful than their 20-something counterparts, a survey of Australian women has found.
The shift in womens' perceptions of female beauty have been helped by the popularity of TV shows like Desperate Housewives, featuring women beyond their 20s, a popular culture expert has said.
Dr Karen Brooks, senior lecturer in Australian and cultural studies at the University of the Sunshine Coast, said there had been a rise in popularity of women once thought "on the scrap heap".
Dr Brooks said this had come at the expense of "empty" young celebrities.
The survey by cosmetic distributor The Heat Group of 1356 women found 50 per cent believed a woman was most beautiful in her 30s, not her 20s.
Twenty-eight per cent picked the 20s and 16 per cent selected the 40s. [/quote]
trooperiziz said:
The survey by cosmetic distributor The Heat Group of 1356 women found 50 per cent believed a woman was most beautiful in her 30s, not her 20s.
Twenty-eight per cent picked the 20s and 16 per cent selected the 40s.
Hmmm, I wonder why they didn't ask any men
Because women run the world now, men don't count, did you miss that memo?
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