Journey of Aging Study Guide 1
Why are cohorts important to the study of aging?
Being part of an age cohort means that different historical events, social changes, and cultural phenomenon are experienced in a similar way among those in age group, which might be different than how other another age cohort experienced such events. At the same time, the cohort might also impact society in ways different than other age cohorts
Which process is most important in explaining population aging?
Changes in Fertility
What are four ways to define aging?
Chronological Age Life Stages Functional Age Subjectivity of Age
Describe the differences in focus between conflict, functionalist, and interpretive theories
Conflict: A social science perspective that holds that stratification is dysfunctional and harmful in society, with inequality perpetuated because it benefits the rich and powerful at the same expense Functionalist: the individual is considered to be reacting to social pressures rather than acting independently Interpretive: it is based on the assumption that the individual has free will and makes her own choices with little or no regard for social pressures
How does ageism impact individuals and society?
Creates needless fear, waste, illness, and misery, especially among older people
Who popularized the term "mid-life crisis"?
Daniel Levinson
Describe and contrast 3 psychosocial theories of aging: disengagement, activity, and continuity theory
Disengagement: aging is an inevitable, mutual withdrawal or disengagement, resulting in decreased interaction between the aging person and others in the social system he belongs to Activity: Proposes that successful aging occurs when older adults stay active and maintain social interactions Continuity: States that older adults will usually maintain the same activities, behaviors, relationships as they did in their earlier years of life
In agricultural societies, which elders received respect and care? Which elders did not?
Elders who were wealthy received better care than those who were not
What are the 3 basic demographic processes?
Fertility, Mortality, and Migration
What is the difference between life span and life expectancy?
Life Span: refers to the maximum number of years an individual can live Life Expectancy: refers to an estimate or an average number of years a person can expect to live
What is the purpose of life review?
Life review is a process by which people return to their past experiences to analyze, reflect upon, and review the events that have shaped their lives
Name Peck's personality adjustments in middle and late adulthood
Middle Adulthood: -Wisdom versus physicality -Connection versus sex -Emotional diversity versus emotional poverty -Mental flexibility versus narrow mindedness Late Adulthood -Self-definition versus investment in work roles -Bodily transcendence versus bodily preoccupation -Ego transcendence versus ego preoccupation
Describe the theory of gerotranscendence
Normal human aging includes a range of vital and commonly overlooked components
According to Levinson, how did gender roles and "gender splitting" create differences between women's and men's lives?
Often women find that the career world is difficult to navigate, particularly in occupations that have traditionally been held by men
How is the concept of "generation" (as defined in the text) different from the concept off "cohort"?
Generation refers to kinship linkages and position within a family structure. Cohorts are people who experience the same event at about the same time
Which regions of the world have the highest proportion of elders? Which regions have the lowest proportion?
Highest Proportion: Japan Lowest Proportion: Afghanistan
What are some of the personality changes in midlife found by Neugarten?
Increasing use of mastery, competence, selectivity, introspection, manipulation, self-awareness, control of the environment, and cognitive strategies to solve problems
When did social insurance first start in the US?
1940
What are key constructs in ecological theory?
A model based on the assumption that patterns of health and well-being are affected by a dynamic interplay among biologic, behavioral, and environmental factors, an interplay that unfolds throughout the life course of individuals, families, and communities.
What is the "u-curve" of happiness? Does research support the idea that there is a big dip in happiness at middle age?
A model designed to describe the emotional adjustment process of cross-cultural sojourns over time. Research supports the dip of happiness at the middle age based on each persons definition of their event or crisis
What are social roles, and how are they shaped by culture?
A set of connected behaviors, rights, obligations, beliefs, and norms as conceptualized by people in a social situation. How a culture defines aging and treats its older members of society determines to a great extent the days in which older people can be seen as interacting and contributing to our social development as we age.
Why is the distinction between age changes and age differences important?
Age differences in educational experiences were the true case of lower test results for older adults
Age Differences
Refer to differences between different age groups; such differences may be due to normal aging process, or may be due in experiences
What are some ways that ageism is perpetuated?
Social institutions, programs and services, and popular culture
Name and describe the last 2 of Erikson's stages of development
Stage 7: Generatively versus stagnation- occurs in middle adulthood and is the stage in which adults are investing their energy to their work, families, communities, and the well-being of future generations. Stage 8: Integrity Versus Despair- occurring in old age, is the state of development when older adults begin to reflect on their lives and all of their accomplishments. People realizer that the majority of their lives have passed and death is inevitable.
Age Changes
What happens to an individual over their lifetime. They involve the changes one experiences as a result of normal aging
How did Gould characterize the "post mid-life" stage?
When people are finally in control of their own lives and future goals
Do men or women live longer on average? Why? What are the implications for women?
Women generally live longer than men, but they are more likely to get sick and have higher rate of disability
How is the racial and ethnic diversity of Americans 65 and over changing?
Younger groups are more racially and ethnically diverse than older groups
Geriatrics
a physician who specializes in the medical care of individuals in old age- the opposite of the term pediatrics
When were the "Baby Boomers" born?
between 1946 and 1964
What is the definition of ageism?
discrimination against persons of a certain age group
Describe elderly dependency ratio
focuses on those older than 64
What are factors that lead to greater life expectancy?
gender, genetics, access to health care, hygiene, diet and nutrition, exercise, lifestyle, and crime rates
In colonial America, how did communities deal with elders without resources?
higher standard of living, better nutrition, and greater resistance to disease
Describe childhood dependency ratio
includes those under 15
What does the chapter identify as the reasons for ageism?
prejudice, ignorance, a lack of good alternatives, and youth-worshipping culture
What is a cohort?
refers to a group of people who experience the same event at about the same time
What are factors that lead to lower birth rates?
social structure, religious beliefs, economic prosperity, and urbanization
What are ways to reduce ageism?
speak up, engage in the world, volunteer, exercise, be positive, etc.
What are the types of ageism?
stereotypes and discrimination
Gerontology
the comprehensive multidisciplinary study of aging and older adults
What are age norms?
the norm (as for height, weight, or intellectual achievement) of individuals of a given chronological age
Describe total dependency ratio
the number of dependents in a population divided by the number of working age people
Senescence
the state of being old; the process of becoming old
Describe the theory of cumulative disadvantage
the systematic explanation of how inequalities develop
In early, nomadic societies, elders often had a special status. Why?
they controlled the family's wealth