Pacific Standard March-April 2013 Cover

Cling to Youthful Appearance, Annoy Actual Youth

Have you dyed your hair lately? Had some wrinkles removed with a Botox injection? Perhaps considered plastic surgery? If so, it’s certainly understandable. Our youth-oriented society has, at best, an ambivalent attitude toward advanced age. If you’re seeking either a job or a mate, it makes intuitive sense to look as young and vibrant as possible. But newly published research suggests this approach can backfire. University of Kansas psychologists Alexander Schoemann and Nyla Branscombe report older adults who attempt to look youthful “are disliked, and face disapproval, from young ... Read More