Gerontology Ch 3
criticisms of age stratification theory
-a large body of research has examined cohort differences in life course experiences, one is how changes that affect one life transition create a ripple effect in other areanas -the concept of social structure is broad and includes many possible definitions -the theory ignores other bases of social stratification such as social class, gender, race that create inequality within age cohorts
age stratification research questions
-how does an individuals location in the changing age structure of society influence his/her behavior and attitudes? -how do individuals relate to each other within and between age strata? -how do individuals pass through key transitions from infancy to childhood to adolescence to adulthood to old age? -what is the impact of the answers to the above questions on society as a whole?
gender relation subject matter?
-why are women more poorly paid than men? -what effect do women's familial responsibilities have on their employment? -why are poverty rates higher among women that men at all stages of life course?
subculture theory controversies
Arnold Rose argued that older people shared a subculture because they have common interests, common role changes, and common generational experiences -although older people experience common role changes, the idea that the aged form a single subculture has now been disconted -the older are more likely to form affiliations
the declined status
Modernization was responsible for _____________________________ of the aged -as work moved from the home to the factory, self-employed stats declined -aged loss their independence and were forced into retirement -urbanization drew young from rural to cities, destroying extended family household and isolated the elderly
age stratification
analyzes the relationship between age and social structure and is based on the premise that all societies group people into social categories, providing people with social identities -age is one principle of ranking
modernization theorists
argued that nations could be placed on a contimuum ranging from least developed to most developed, to such indicators as level of industrialization or degree of urbanization; structured/termed modern
age stratification theory
as social gerontologists began to abandon largescale concepts of societal development such as modernization theory as a way to explain the status of the aged, a new framework emerged ________________
book by Cavan
book suggested that a decline in old age was not inevitable, poor adjustment was correlated w/ a lack of activity, people who continued to lead active and productive lives remained well adjusted in old age
age cohort
central concept used that refers to a group of people who are born at the same time and thus share similar life experiences
external continuity
connected to past performance and can be observed in the continuity of skills, activities, environments, roles, and relationships between middle and old age (what we do)
subculture theory
conviction that people lose status in old age, a focus on role changes in later life, and a belief that activity enhanced the lives of the elderly, shared ideas with activity theory and disengagement theory 1. when people share similar interests, problems, and concerns or have long- standing friendships, a subculture may form 2. subcultures may develop when groups of people are excluded from full participation in the wider society
kansas city study of adult life
coupled the emphasis on adjustment with measures of how people performed various roles - spouse, parent, worker - as they aged -central to these concepts (social role) expecectations that accompany a given position or status, including age and sex roles
disengagement
decreasing interaction between an aging person and the others in his/her social system, process is universal and inevitable
micro theories
disengagement theory activity theory continuity theory subculture theory exchange theory social constructionism
age integration theory
draws on a core premise of age stratification, the idea that society is stratified on the basis of age, age stratification can create age-segregated institutions, where age acts as a barrier to entrance, exit, & participation, _____________________ is characterized by an absence of age-related criteria; however this is highly unlikely
older men
feminist theories do not ignore __________; the theory would not that they do pay a price for having to "live up" to societal ideals of masculinity (higher health risk factors, and death rates)
disengagement theory
first formal theory of aging, 1961, Cumming & Henry criticized what they called "implicit theory" that people can be well adjusted, satisfied, and happy in old age if they remain active/ involved, it was argued that normal aging involves a natural and inevitable mutual withdrawal or disengament
social gerontology
first practitioners were developmental psychologists, whose traditional focus on growth and maturation was expanded to include later maturity -the emphasis on decline in old age grew from an awareness of real physical changes -early researchers saw an old age as a period of inevitable physical and mental decline (short term memory/ vision losses/ increased vulnerability to certain diseases like heart disease, cancer, and stroke)
continuity theory
formal elaboration of activity theory, using a life course perspective to define normal aging and to distinguish it from pathological aging -first propsed by robert atchley, draws from basics of internal/external aging processes in the kansas city studies -emphasizes that personality plays a major role in adjustment to aging and that adult development is a continuous process (can minimize effects of aging)
political economy criticism
framework has been said to be too negative and for viewing older people as too passive- theory does not address life satisfaction, individual motivations, perceptions, and related activities
political economy theories
highlight the structural influences on aging and emphasize the relevance of social struggles embedded in power relationships for understanding how the aged are defined and treated -the premise in the theories of power and inequality is how does access to power influence the life changes of older persons and how do constraints create inequality in the aging experience
classification of feminist
if; gender relations are the main subject matter, notions of masculinity and femininity are seen as socially constructed, and is there is an emphasis placed on the different ways aging is experienced by men and women
immediate exchange
may occur between friends and neighbors
macro theories
modernization theory age stratification theory age integration theory political economy theory feminist theory critical gerontology
political economy perspective
more of a framework for examining the larger social context of problems associated with old age, forces distribute societal resources in ways that maintain or increase inequality on the basis of class, race, gender -the approach understands the nature of old age to be socially constructed and to be created through power struggles
critical gerontology
most recent theoretical approach in study of aging; idea that research on aging has often been based on uncritical reliance on images from popular culture and from outdated theories -theory is derived from political economy and feminist approaches to aging but expands these perspectives to consider how the forces of globalization affect policies and programs for the aged and the daily lives of older people (immigration/displacement of older workers) -approach emphasizes that aging is no longer a local or national issue but rather affects individuals, families, and nations around the world
criticism of the modernization theory
no more elderly were living in childrens homes than today & retirement was not a twentieth century creation, wealth was the dependent factor
feminist theory
of aging; are less a formal body of theory than an approach that reflects a commitment to use theory in certain ways, the central purpose of this theory is to illumiinate the gendered nature of society -contend that the entire life course is gendered, both in terms of informal norms and formal policies
modernization theory
post WWII era, shared by social scientists, that if other nations would follow the American way, they could achieve prosperity and economic growth
deferred exchange
recognizes the importance of strong ties built up over time
internal continuity
refers to an inner remembered structure, such as the persistence of psychic structure of ideas, temperament, affect, experiences, preferences, dispositions, and skills (who we are)
exchange theory
similar to psychosocial theories previously discussed in its interest in explaining why some older people withdraw from social interaction -suggests personal relationships feel most satisfying when both participants are perceived as contributing equally to the relationship
what are some criticisms of the social exchange theory?
that it ignores the value of non-rational resources, such as love and companionship, which often even out of what seems to be an unequal exchange also theory overlooks that exchanges between generations take place over the life course
social exchange theory premise
that resources are often unequal and that actors will continue to engage in exchanges only as long as the benefits are greater than costs, also interaction between the old and the young decreases because older people have fewer resources to bring to the exchange
premise of the stratification theory
that the aging processes reflect the interplay bw 1) the changing life course pattern of people in different cohorts 2) the changing social structures in which these aging processes are experienced
what were the controversies of the disengagement theory?
that the idea of disengagement was universal, meaning it happens everywhere and in all historical eras; was inevitable, meaning it must happen sometime to everyone; and that it was intrinsic, caused by biological factors rather than social factors -does not fully account for differences in personality and temperance when considering the activity level of an aging individual in society
basic premise
that the modernization theory was once a golden age of aging, the old were few in number, and held great power and authority in the community and family- modernization was said to shatter this traditional society (inverted the power structure)
what are the controversies of the continuity theory?
the fact that chronic illness is common in old age and does not preclude meaningful social interaction, especially when the person can create continuity in the process of a disruptive chronic illness
what are the negatives of social constructionism?
the theory emphasis on microsocial processes often neglects the structural features of social life that are imposed by external forces
activity theory
the view that satisfaction during old age is related to a person's amount and quality of activity -older persons who engage in productive activities and social networks are less likely to have depression
social constructionism
view humans as active agents who create the society in which they live, constructionists are concerned with the individuals process of interpreting his/her experiences -strength is that older people are not passive objects but active subjects who participate in the construction of their social worlds
social lag
when outdated social structures prevent persons of certain ages from full participation in the society, the society is said to suffer from __________________