The article under consideration is a work that identifies the importance of physical appearance in the aging process in women. The authors initially identified two possible approaches to the problem from different angles: the popularity of youth in society and the lack of respect for older people, and they outlined the inverse proportion of the visibility of signs of aging to the visibility of a person in public (Clarke & Griffin, 2008). Each of these approaches can explain the craving of aging women for cosmetic procedures in the pursuit of preserving appearance, and some of these procedures are permanent.
An interesting fact is that the mindset of the entire array of interviewed women is almost identical. Most of them take their appearance very seriously or have done so in the past, and along with the arrival of aging, they suffer psychological and stereotypical damage. Many of them ” began feeling a little bit threatened” at the appearance of a younger woman nearby (Clarke & Griffin, 2008, p. 666). This unanimity in general ideas and many details highlight the inequality and abundance of prejudice in today’s society that shapes the thinking of its members.
The authors’ arguments and main ideas are quite logical and legitimate based on the interviews provided. Although the study’s primary purpose is to analyze the impact of cosmetic procedures on the self-determination of aging, there is a more global theme of socialization at the heart of it, according to Clarke and Griffin (2008). It is likewise rightly expressed and covered by the researchers because it is the cornerstone or basis for understanding the problems that arise from people’s dependence on other people’s opinions.
The arguments and conclusions provided by the authors are based on the findings from observation and communication with a control group. The work has fairly convincing claims because they are supported by vivid examples and social observations, as well as fundamental psychological analysis. However, not all conclusions can be universal – the sample of test takers is not significant and diversified enough. Diverseness and heterogeneity in the data obtained due to the choice of the interrogation method of data collection can likewise affect the validity of the research thesis outside of a particular group of interviewees.
Reference
Clarke, L. H., & Griffin, M. (2008). Visible and invisible aging: Beauty work as a response to ageism. Ageing and Society, 28(5), 653–674.