CONNECTICUT — Researchers from the University of Connecticut and the University of Wisconsin conducted a study on how social media videos affect attitudes toward aging. The study was published in the journal Communication Research under the title "Examining the Effects of Viewing Positive Aging TikTok Videos on Aging Outcomes and Attitudes Among Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Women."

The study divided participants into younger, middle-aged, and older age groups. One group watched TikTok videos featuring women discussing positive aspects of aging, while a control group viewed videos about travel. All participants completed surveys that measured their concerns, emotions, and confidence regarding aging.

Women who viewed the positive aging videos reported higher positive emotions about aging and greater confidence in their ability to age well compared to the control group. Middle-aged and older women showed larger increases in positive aging attitudes than younger women. These viewers also reported more favorable attitudes toward older people in general.

Amanda Cooper, an assistant professor of interpersonal communication at the University of Connecticut, was one of the researchers. Cooper said anti-aging messages have long been prominent, particularly regarding beauty care. She noted that historically, an older man has been labeled a silver fox, but a woman who gets gray hair has been called an old lady.

"There has been this double standard in aging for a long time, and now it is amplified for younger women in addition to older women," Cooper said. She observed that younger women seem more conscious of their aging and more concerned about how to age or appear not to age.

"They felt more upbeat about aging and also felt more confident in their ability to age well as compared to the control group that watched travel videos," Cooper said. She concluded that watching videos of older women discussing aging positively can shift how women feel about their own ability to age. Lexi McNamara, a graduate student at the university, and Heather Gahler, affiliated with the University of Wisconsin, were also part of the research team.