Shu-Chin Lien

older adults, commercials, filial piety, gender stereotypes, stereotypes

Using thematic analysis approach, this study examined how television commercials portrayed older characters’ images, focusing on older adults’ occupation, presented scenes, storyline, communication scripts, and subtitles. Thematic analysis results revealed that older adults were well-over positively represented, in terms of their social status, health and stereotypes. The findings also confirmed that television commercial is gender stereotyped. Daughters were taught to be responsible for parents’ healthy, but not for sons. The findings also showed that the traditional values of filial piety and elder respect interpenetrated into the whole storyline.