Older Women and Everyday Talk about the Ageing Body

Paulson, Susan; Willig, Carla

doi:10.1177/1359105307084316

Cited by 54 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…A qualitative approach allows participants to tell the stories of how they experience body image in their lives and the meanings they associate with those experiences (Liechty & Yarnal, 2010;Paulson & Willig, 2008;Warren & Karner, 2005). Tunaley, Walsh, and Nicolson (1999) found that using qualitative methods was particularly valuable for studying perceptions of the body because it allowed researchers to explore the perspectives of participants regarding the "complexity of contradictory meanings" that the body has for older women (p. 741).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“Yes, I worry about my weight … but for the most part I'm content with my body”: Older Women's Body Dissatisfaction Alongside Contentment

Liechty

2012

Journal of Women & Aging

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The majority of body image research has studied younger women and girls, ignoring older age groups. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore body image among retirement-age women. The sample included 13 women aged 60 to 69. Data collection occurred in two phases. Participants completed individual in-depth interviews and attended follow-up focus groups. Transcripts from both phases of data collection were analyzed thematically using the constant comparison method. Themes emerged regarding the participants' definitions of body image, their attitudes about appearance, and their current perceptions of their bodies. Findings highlighted the complexity of older women's body image as characterized by the dual existence of contentment and desire for physical change. Participants offered explanations for this seeming contradiction, including consideration of age, prioritization of preferred aspects of the body or the self, and focus on aspects of appearance that are perceived to be within the individual's control.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“Yes, I worry about my weight … but for the most part I'm content with my body”: Older Women's Body Dissatisfaction Alongside Contentment

Liechty

2012

Journal of Women & Aging

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“…Fashion has greatly adapted since then, and mature women have acknowledged these changes, claiming they previously would not 'have been seen dead in what (they are) wearing now' (Paulson and Willig 2008, p. 117). The participant interviewed in Paulson and Willig's (2008) study referred to the post-war style as 'so old-fashioned now', suggesting her change in clothing choice was influenced by fashion culture, rather than physical differences due to ageing. This indicates the bra preferences of women may change over time; indeed, recent research has found that the majority of mature consumers hold different priorities for fashion garments than younger consumers (Birtwistle and Tsim 2005;Risius et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, perception of the type of change in relation to the bra requirements of mature women has not been detailed. Moreover, ageing may influence bra design preferences, consumer behaviour and opinion of the bra market (Paulson and Willig 2008;Risius et al 2012;Sukumar 2007). Any psychological changes with age may be similarly influential with regard to the perception of bra performance.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of ageing on bra preferences and self-perception of breasts among mature women

et al. 2014

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The ageing process has both psychological and physiological effects on women, and tactical choices are often made regarding beauty interventions to mask the outward signs of increasing age. The bra is believed to counteract the negative effects of ageing on the breast and alter the perceptions of one's body. Due to the profound anatomical changes to the breast with increasing age, this paper aimed to examine the influence of ageing on women's perceptions of their breasts and their bra preferences. 208 women aged 45-65 years were surveyed about their breasts, their bras and how they felt ageing may have influenced these. The findings showed 80 % of women surveyed had noticed a significant change in their breasts with ageing, just 7 % of the women surveyed were still proud of their breasts and 84 % of women dressed to look younger. Further, over 50 % of respondents would now not wear the bra they had worn in their twenties, indicating a change in bra preferences with age. The bra variables of primary importance to participants were: comfort, the bra's ability to stay in place, optimal fit, appearance under clothing, support, discreetness, shoulder strap design, silhouette, breast shape, fabric and breast lift. These variables are perceived as being influential in the appropriateness of the bra and its social role for mature women; therefore, it is these bra variables that should be the focus of subsequent research regarding the optimisation of bras for women aged 45-65 years.

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“…In the domain of aging research, an analysis of the performative dimensions of narrative, that is, how aging is accomplished through narrative, has received a little attention (e.g. see Hurd, 1999;Hurd Clarke & Griffin, 2007b;Jones, 2002;Paulson & Willig, 2008;Wainwright & Turner, 2003). Yet, it holds various strengths and benefits.…”

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confidence: 99%

Narrative analysis in aging studies: A typology for consideration

Phoenix

Smith

Sparkes

2010

Journal of Aging Studies

166

135

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This article seeks to expand our understanding on narrative and the analysis of stories researchers invite and collect in the domain of aging studies. To do so, we first offer an understanding of what narrative inquiry can be by laying out a theoretical basis for this kind of research, and making a case for the relevance of narrative as an alternative methodology. Painting with broad strokes, narrative analysis as a method is then considered before a typology of different ways in which stories can be analyzed is introduced. Illuminated by the typology are two contrasting standpoints toward narrative analysis-storyteller and story analyst-and three specific methods-structural, performative, and autoethnograpic creative analytic practices-that each standpoint might use to analyse the whats and hows of storytelling. The article closes by suggesting that in order to assist us to understand the complexities of aging researchers might consider using a variety of analyses. Keywords: Aging; Narrative analysis; Story analyst; Storyteller; Structural analysis; Performative analysis; Creative analytical practices Introduction According to Birren (1999), aging has become one of the most complex areas of study facing modern day science. Not least, this is because the process of growing older is something which is dynamic, interactive, subject to the twists and turns of life, chance, change and complication. Or, as Randall (2007) puts it, aging is a process which is exemplified by complexity. For him, we become more unique and more distinctive with age, not less. With this in mind, it is perhaps unsurprising that narrative forms of inquiry have burgeoned within aging studies to the extent that narrative gerontology is now a recognized discipline in itself (Kenyon, Clark, & de Vries, 2001;Randall, 2007). Within aging studies, narrative has been used, for example, to examine social policy (Biggs, 2001), issues of masculinity (Jackson, 2003;Smith, Braunack--Mayer, Wittert & Warin, 2007), interpersonal and intimate relationships (Jones, 2002;Rosenfeld, 2003;Matthews, 2000), physical activity in later life (Dionigi & O'Flynn, 2007;Heuser, 2005;Tulle, 2007), narrative maps of aging (Phoenix & Sparkes, 2006a, 2006b, body image and beauty work (Halliwell & Dittmar, 2003; Hurd Clarke & Griffin, 2007a;Paquette & Raine, 2004), experiences of health and illness (Jolanki, 2004;Faircloth, Rittman, Boylstein, Young & Van Puymbroeck, 2004;Sanders, Donovan & Dieppe, 2002), carework (Ribeiro, Paú& Nogueira, 2007Twigg, 2000), and retirement (Savishinsky, 2000). As part of this, narrative analysis has attracted interest and has been utilised. In this article, we aspire to develop and extend our understandings of narrative analysis by introducing a typology that considers this method in the plural rather than in the singular. The rationale for doing so, following Elliot (2005), is that applying a classification or typology might be a useful way of making sense of different techniques and approaches currently operating

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Older Women and Everyday Talk about the Ageing Body

Cited by 54 publications

References 17 publications

“Yes, I worry about my weight … but for the most part I'm content with my body”: Older Women's Body Dissatisfaction Alongside Contentment

“Yes, I worry about my weight … but for the most part I'm content with my body”: Older Women's Body Dissatisfaction Alongside Contentment

The influence of ageing on bra preferences and self-perception of breasts among mature women

Narrative analysis in aging studies: A typology for consideration

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