Abstract
Life pace in cities is often commented as very busy especially by people from smaller settlements. It is not clear whether this proverbial image, a stereotype, is based on prevalent subjective views in the elderly.
The purpose of this study is to examine the occurrence of stereotypes of hectic city and tranquil countryside in older persons. The sample consisted of 131 retired healthy older persons of 60-74 years of age (M=68.47, SD=3.71) with the same place of residence in the capital city of Prague, mid-sized towns or villages of the Czech Republic since their age of 40 years.
The participants underwent a structured interview and evaluated life pace on 4-point scale. Data were analyzed with non-parametric methods.
Our results suggest that older persons regardless their place of residence consider Prague more hectic compared to towns and countryside. Non-Praguers, especially the ones with lower education, perceive Prague significantly more hectic compared to persons living in the capital itself.
Recent visitors to Prague perceive the capital as more hectic than visitors with a further off experience. Our results are in accord with the proverbial stereotypes of the pace of life in different types of settlement.
As time pressure and busy environment, hectic "nature" may in long-term affect individual emotional and cognitive development even in late adulthood, these influences and their impacts need to be yet researched more in detail.