Academic aging: the role of humor and resilience in university professors. A shield against ageism

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Published: 2025-06-10
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17060/ijodaep.2025.n1.v1.2809
Keywords:
resilience, humor, teacher aging, ageism

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Selene Granados Paredes
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Abstract

This paper presents the results of a preliminary review of the state of the art for the doctoral research project entitled «The Sense of Humor and Its Relationship to Resilience in University Professors as They Reach Older Age,» which focuses on understanding how aging occurs within the academic environment. The exploration of the data indicates that aging within the educational context, as well as in the social sphere, is fraught with stereotypes and prejudices that foster ageist practices. Therefore, in this context, it is necessary to recognize the character strengths that allow us to cope with these situations. Among these, a sense of humor stands out because it not only acts as an individual coping mechanism but also as a bridge that connects teachers and students, thereby favoring pedagogical and communication strategies. Resilience is also approached as a psychological capacity beyond resistance to change, considering it in terms of the active adaptability of older teachers, sustained by experience and professional and personal identity. This paper proposes to open a dialogue about the aging stage in teachers, highlighting the challenges as well as the opportunities that aging brings within the academy. It emphasizes a sense of humor and resilience as key factors for achieving active aging and well-being, especially in the face of ageism.

Article Details

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Vol. 1 No. 1 (2025): EL PODEROSO MUNDO DE LA PSICOLOGÍA: UNA APORTACIÓN POSITIVA

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Author Biography

Selene Granados Paredes, -

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How to Cite

Academic aging: the role of humor and resilience in university professors. A shield against ageism. (2025). International Journal of Developmental and Educational Psychology. Revista INFAD De Psicología., 1(1), 103-108. https://doi.org/10.17060/ijodaep.2025.n1.v1.2809

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