短剧何以赋能：反刻板印象叙事对老年群体消费活力的激发作用研究

Empowering through Micro-Dramas: Investigating the Mechanisms of Counter-Stereotypical Narratives in Stimulating Elderly Consumption Vitality

摘要: 在老龄化加速与数字媒介深度融合的背景下，网络微短剧正成为重塑老年群体社会形象与激发其消费活力的重要文化载体。本文聚焦反刻板印象叙事对银发消费行为的赋能机制，指出传统影视常将老年人局限于“弱势依赖”“家庭附庸”等单一、负面形象，不仅强化社会偏见，也抑制了其真实消费需求。相较之下，新兴短剧通过人设破茧、情节转向及价值共鸣，有效打破年龄偏见，重构老年观众的自我认知。文章进一步提出三重作用机制：一是认知破壁机制，解构内外部年龄标签；二是情感激发机制，以共鸣驱动“悦己型”消费模仿；三是社群驱动与符号消费机制，使特定产品成为表达身份、获取认同的社交货币。研究表明，反刻板印象叙事不仅满足老年群体的精神需求，更推动其消费从生存型向体验型、意义型转变，为银发经济注入新动力，并为构建年龄友好型社会提供文化支撑。

Abstract: In the context of accelerated population aging and the deep integration of digital media, online micro-dramas have emerged as a pivotal cultural medium for reconstructing the social representation of older adults and stimulating their consumption vitality. This study investigates the empowering mechanisms of counter-stereotypical narratives in shaping silver-haired consumer behavior. It argues that traditional film and television media often confine older individuals to monolithic, negative stereotypes—such as “vulnerable dependents” or “family appendages”—which not only reinforce societal ageism but also suppress their authentic consumption demands. In contrast, emerging micro-dramas challenge these portrayals through three transformative strategies: character reconfiguration, narrative reorientation, and value resonance. The paper further proposes a tripartite theoretical framework: 1) the cognitive boundary-deconstructing mechanism, which dismantles internalized and externalized ageist labels; 2) the emotional resonance mechanism, where narrative-induced empathy drives “self-pleasing” consumption imitation; and 3) the community-driven symbolic consumption mechanism, wherein specific products evolve into social currencies for identity expression and peer recognition. Empirical evidence demonstrates that counter-stereotypical storytelling not only fulfills older adults’ psychosocial and aspirational needs but also catalyzes a paradigm shift in their consumption patterns—from subsistence-oriented to experiential and meaning-driven consumption. These findings contribute to advancing the silver economy and provide cultural foundations for constructing an age-inclusive society.