sociology ch 13

primary aging

Biological factors, such as molecular and cellular changes

ageism

Discrimination based on age

gerontology

a field of science that seeks to understand the process of aging and the challenges encountered as seniors grow older

cohort

a group of people who share a statistical or demographic trait

grief

a psychological, emotional, and social response to the feelings of loss that accompanies death or a similar event

exchange theory

a rational choice approach, suggests we experience an increased dependence as we age and must increasingly submit to the will of others because we have fewer ways of compelling others to submit to us

hospice

a type of healthcare that treats terminally ill people when "cure-oriented treatments" are no longer an option

gerontocracy

a type of social structure wherein the power is held by a society's oldest members

secondary aging

aging that occurs due to controllable factors, such as lack of physical exercise and poor diet

elder abuse

occurs when a caretaker intentionally deprives an older person of care or harms the person in his or her charge

social gerontology

refers to a specialized field of gerontology that examines the social (and sociological) aspects of aging

senescence

refers to the aging process, including biological, emotional, intellectual, social, and spiritual changes

filial piety

respect shown by children for their parents and elders

age stratification theory

suggest that members of society might be stratified by age, just as they are stratified by race, class, and gender

subculture of aging theory

suggests that elders will disengage from society and develop new patterns of interaction with peers who share common backgrounds and interests

modernization theory

suggests that the primary cause of the elderly losing power and influence in society are the parallel forces of industrialization and modernization

disengagement theory

suggests that withdrawing from society and social relationships is a natural part of growing old

life expectancy

the average number of years a person born today may expect to live

baby boomers

the cohort born between 1946 and 1964 and now reaching their 60s

continuity theory

the elderly make specific choices to maintain consistency in internal (personality structure, beliefs) and external structures (relationships), remaining active and involved throughout their elder years

gerotranscendence

the idea that as people age, they transcend the limited views of life they held in earlier times

selective optimization with compensation theory

the idea that successful personal development throughout the life course and subsequent mastery of the challenges associated with everyday life are based on the components of selection, optimization, and compensation

activity theory

the more active and involved an elderly person is, the happier he or she will be

dependency ratio

the number of citizens not in the labor force (young, disabled, or elderly) to citizens in the labor force

life course

the period from birth to death, including a sequence of predictable life events such as physical maturation

thanatology

the systematic study of death and dying

physician assisted suicide

the voluntary or physician-assisted use of lethal medication provided by a medical doctor to end one's life