Abstract

GOIS, Érika Carolina Porto de; SANTOS, José Victor de Oliveira  and  ARAUJO, Ludgleydson Fernandes de. Social Representations about Male Old Age: Approaches of Elderly Men Participating in a Social Group. Rev. Subj. [online]. 2020, vol.20, n.spe1, pp.1-9. ISSN 2359-0769.  https://doi.org/10.5020/23590777.rs.v20iesp1.e9140.

The present study is situated in the process of population aging, understood as a biopsychosocial phenomenon in which there is old age, showing its plurality and heterogeneity, in the face of differences such as gender inequalities. When it comes to male old age, masculinity discourses and social practices are confronted, especially in work, family, sexuality, and self-care aspects. This production deals with the social representations of elderly men about old age with the main objective of identifying the social representations of old age among elderly men participating in social groups. The discussion is based on Serge Moscovici's theory of social representations, which proposes a science closer to everyday life. It is qualitative research, with transversal data and for convenience. Participants in this research were men over the age of 60, who had participated in the social group for at least twelve months, and declared they had preserved cognitive conditions and had good communication. Five men were found in these conditions. Sociodemographic questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used. Data were analyzed through Bardin's content analysis and indicated that men relate old age to the health and disease process, the time of physiological and social losses, and the gain of experience; emphasizing attention to self-care and the approach of domestic activities in this phase of life. It is hoped that this research will contribute to knowledge about male old age.

Keywords : social representations; old age; masculinities.

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