HDEV Exam 1
Generation X (1965-1980)
"Latch-key" kids individualistic, et.
5 Major themes in the life course perspective
1. Importance of understanding different historical time periods 2.Transitions tend to occur at certain points across the lifespan Driven by culture Social clock 3.People's lives are linked Family Greater society 4.Human agency is important 5.There is diversity in the life course trajectories
6 Stages among Samburu
1. Junior Moran (unmarried warriors) 2.Senior Moran 3. Probationary Elder (When a man may marry) 4.Junior Elder 5.Senior (patron) Elder 6.Father of Moran Ceromonies mark the transition between each life stage
Traditional 5 Core Transitions to Adulthood
1. Leaving Home 2. Finishing school 3. Getting a full-time job 4. Marriage 5. Children
3 Themes of Transnational Aging
1. Material prosperity VS Time 2.Challenges in the provision of care Generation gap in values
4 protective factors against intergenerational conflict
1. Mixed stereotypes about aging 2. Greater contact 3. Understanding cognitive aging 4. Elder alturism
Path to Adulthood reality (5 facts)
1. More young adults staying at home longer (compared with 1950s/60s) 2. More pursuit of higher education 3. Longer time to attain full-time job 4. Families are started later 5. More diversity (both ethnic and path)
6 Characteristics of the Life Course Perspective
1. Multidimensional - includes interdependent cultural, social, biological, and psychological processes 2.Focuses on the historical, social, environmental context 3.Increasing variation among individuals in life course processes 4.Life course transitions are not necessarily tied to age Life Transitions are not necessarily abrupt or irreversible events 6. Pathways in different parts of life (family, work, health, etc.) are interdepnendant
Age as Progressive Loss VS Acquiring New Capabilities
1. North America: Aging as a process of decline. Loss of "vitality". Age as disease model 2.Bororo of Brazil: Idea of "Raka" (life force). Raka is lost through too much sex, violation of taboos, etc. 3.Australian Aboriginal cultures: aging as the acquisition of knolwedge and spiritual power 4. Hua of Papua New Guinea: People gain and lose "nu" throughout life. Women have more "nu" and transfer it to men through intercourse Dying elders are sought out to pass on "nu"
Centarian
100-109
Supercentarian
110+
Young age range
18-39
Silent Generation (1927-1945)
1950's conventional prosperity, Korean war, Etc.
Trends in transnational families
1965 US Immigration and Naturilization Act increased immigration opportunities for people from Asia Large influx of immigrants from east asia Increasing number began to bring aging parent over from India to live with them Other families, provide transnational care to aging parents in India Challenges reconciling traditional Indian and Western models of care
Middle-Aged range
40-60ish
Young-Old
65-74
Old-Old
75-84
Oldest-Old
85 and older
Thai/Buddhist Perspective
9 stages of life: infancy, courtship, parenthood, career, civic responsibility...last 4 stages depict slow decline into frailty Peak in middle-age (the statesman) Increase in frailty Soul recycles and life cycle begins again
Ageism
A combination of prejudicial attitudes and discriminatory practices against older people (Butler, 1969)
Samburu of Kenya Life Course Age Sets
A group of similar age individuals (e.g. people born within 12-14 years) who go through specific clearly defined life stages together
Greater contact
A large adult population means more intergenerational contact which could foster better understanding
What is the Life Course?
A patterned sequence of stages defined by successive roles and statuses, through which individuals move during their "lifetimes" Cattell & Albert, 2009 The life course perspective considers person, place, and time, the interactions between these factors, and how all of these things influence experiences from birth to death, or beyond Transitions can be based on Chronology Life events & Rituals
Life Events
A relatively abrupt change that may produce a transition (e.g. marriage, death of a spouse, divorce, retirement, etc.) May be expected or unexpected
How do we strengthen social institutions
According to Setterson & Ray we need to strengthen community colleges, service learning programs, military 1. Lower the cost of education 2. More apprenticeship programs
Historical Perspectives (Late 19th, Early 20th Century)
Adolescence was pretty short A large number of men and women lived at home Get established first - then marry and move out
Normative age-graded influences
Age expected to be associated with certain life events Ex: Puberty
Life expectancy
Average length of life for people born in a particular time interval
Elderspeak
Baby talk for older people Examples: High pitched voice Extra loud voice Lots of repetition Small words Speaking in 3rd person
Optimal aging
Changes that improve the individuals
Personal aging
Changes that occur within the individual reflecting time's effects on the body
Psychological aspect of aging
Cognition, emotions, personality
How do Americans today define adulthood?
Completing school Establishing an independent household Being employed full time Only about 50% of Americans viewed marriage and children as requirements of adulthood Varies by social class: Americans who are lower SES give earlier deadlines for all of the above 40% of lower SES advocated marriage and children before age 25 - fewer higher SES respondents supported marriage in early 20's
Sub-Saharan African Culture life perspective
Death does not bring an end to the life course Ancestors are part of everyday life and perceived as very powerful Ancestors are fed at graves and crossroads- reguarly consulted ( and feared) by descendants True for men and women But...this is changing with increased Globalization and introduction of Christianity
Negative stereotypes associated with aging
Decrepit, slow, forgetful, incompetent, deaf
Bronfenbrenner's ecological perspective
Developments affected by processes at multiple levels
Generation Y/Millenials (1981-2000)
Digital/Social media generation
Secondary aging
Disease related impairments
Social aging
Effects of a person's exposure to a changing enviroment
Life span perspective
Emphasizes continuity of development from childhood to old age
Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Model
Epigentic Principle Each stage unfolds from the previous stage in predestined order Individuals may confront psychosocial issues in an "off-time" fashion
Normative history-graded influences
Events that occur to everyone in a certain time period Ex: WW2
Consumption
Fear that older people are using up too many resources
GI Generation (1901-1926)
Fought WWII, lived through the Depression, etc.
Three dimensions we categorize people
Gender, Race, Age
Interactionist
Genes and environmental interact in complex ways to affect individual - individuals also shape their own development (reciprocity principle, developmental plasticity)
Independent selves and State Support Indian Culture
Greater likelihood for elder to be away from family India did not provide state support for aging Most adults provide material and social support for elders
Cohort
Groups of individuals born within the same time period (often 20 years), in a particular culture, who experienced certain social events, and went through a sequence of life experiences at the same time Ex: Millenial generation
Organismic (nature)
Heredity drives the course of development - changes "programmed" by genes (
How can lack of education affect opportunity
In 2005 3/10 white men and 5/10 black men aged 16-24 with only a highschool education were not in school, military, work Male high school dropouts are disproportionately likely to be incarcerated
Contextual influences
Life span change is a function of nature and nurture
The Life course perspective
Looks at how chronological age, relationships, common life transitions and social change shape people's lives from birth to death
Material prosperity VS Time
Material goods in the US but less time to spend with family and to provide service and care Frustration with lack of time, care, and weaker, intergenerational ties but active support for children's material success.
Life span
Maximum age for a given species
Geriatics
Medical doctors of old people
Living Single, Not Married
More young adults live independently outside of marriage than ever before When young adults move out, they are more likely to live alone (or with roommates) In 1970, 10% of white males over 25 lived on their own - over 30% by 2000 Trends are similar for women and other ethnic groups Number of black men married at age 25 in 1970 was triple that of 2000
Education
More young adults live independently outside of marriage than ever before. Why? Demands of higher education Job uncertainty
Developmental science
Need to look at multiple factors in development
Primary Aging
Normal age changes
Mixed stereotypes about aging
Not all stereotypes about aging are negative, perceptions can become more positive
What makes someone an elder in Indian society
Not determined by number of years lived but in terms of family position. Becomes a senior when sons bring daughters-in-law into home and have their own children
Health expectancy (Compression of morbidity)
Number of years a person can live in good health
Generation gap in values
Older adults expect differences in values when coming to US Tensions around food, clothing, alcohol consumption, gender roles Stress around expectations
Succession
Older generations are expected to step aside for younger generations (jobs)
Baby Boomers (1946-1964)
One of the largest generations (77 million), American Youth Culture, renegades, yuppies 1970s-80s
Distancing
Out of sight out of mind Not speaking directly to the older person Putting older people into retirement homes where they can be far away
Social age
Parental, grandparental status, Work role, retirement status
Model of intergenerational reciprocity
Parents provide for children in earlier life, children take care of adult in later life
Reciprocity principle
People are influenced by the events in their lives You influence decisions your friends make which, in turn, influences you and can lead to changes in your own behavior and attitudes
Mechanistic (Nurture)
People's behavior is shaped by the enviroment (e.g. Watson) - no stages
Historical Perspectives (Mid-20th Century 1950's and 60's)
Period of great economic prosperity People with a high school degree (or less) could get a good paying industrial job Young people moved out and started families young (late teens/early 20s) Most women were married by 21, with children by 23
Age progression
Perspective that identifies 3 possible domains of conflict between older and younger adults 1. Succession 2. Consumption 3. Identity
Biological aspect of aging
Physiological factors, Genetics
Why is there a gap between high aspirations and graduation rates?
Poor preparation for higher education Growth of "nontraditional" students - less likely to complete degree in 4 years Systemmic poverty and racism than impact opportunities, paths, goals
Non-normative influences
Random, idiosyncratic events that occur throughout life. Ex: Cancer
Tertiary aging
Rapid decline of health before death
Psychological age
Reaction time, learning ability, memory, intelligence
Gerontology
Researchers who study the aging process
Two threats to intergeneration relationships
Resource Threat, Age Progression
Educational attainment
Rising demand for education Approximately 8/10 high school seniors report plans for higher education Dropout rates are high (9.3% in 2006) vary by ethnicity ~25% of young adults aged 25-34 have a BA - similar to 3 decades ago Women have surpassed men in college graduation rates
Elizabethan Perspective
Seven ages of man according to Shakespeare: Infant, schoolboy, lover, soldier, judge, older "spectacled man, childish frail elder Peak in middle-age (the judge) Revert to infancy with age Ends with death
Key factors in adult development and aging (6 factors)
Sex and gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, culture, religion
Sociocultural aspect of aging
Social context, history, culture
Plasticity in development
The course of development depends on the person's interactions with their environment Active intervention like mental and physical exercise, the risks that you take, all affect your health and development
Summary Indian culture
The experiences of aging, is changing in India, and among Indian seniors who move to North America. Influence of historical time, and different cultures are changing the experience. Older adults are active participants in these changes.
Globalization
The interaction and interconnectedness of different peoples and different nations across the globe - driven by intergenerational trade and communication technology, influenced by social movements (e.g. civil rights, women's movement)
Cultural Variations in Definitions of the Life Course
The life course is "broadly shared story of the ways lives unfold" (p.119) The "story" is written by culture Varies by gender & class Is often implicit (i.e. contains assumptions about we don't really think about) Can be quite ritualized Varies in terms of how standardized it is
Age grading
The use of age to assign a social status (e.g. legal adult age)
Turning Point
Time when a major change occurs that transforms a person's perspective about themselves in relation to the world or represents a major change in their life trajectory
Generational conflict in Indian society
Traditional narratives of conflict between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law Generation gap in values is smaller Juniors live in seniors household
Delaying Marriage
Views of Marriage have changed Couples build their lives separetly and then marry Average age of first marriage in 1960 was 20 Average age of first marriage in 2010 was 27 (men, 26 (women) Advances in contraception and reproductive rights more than 50% of first marriages was preceded by cohabitation by age 34, 7/10 have married The percentage of people who have never married is higher than any other time in recent history
Social Clock
Within any particular culture, norms, roles, and attitudes about age help to shape the person's life Sets age norms and expectations Norms, roles, and attitudes will shift over time
Elder alturism
Witnessing alturism by older adults should reduce perceptions of unequal consumption
Challenges in the provision of care
Working women, lack of servant class
Does individuality matters in terms of aging?
Yes hippocampus in one person in their 70s may be equal to that as a person in their 20s
Greater Dependence on Families for Financial Support
Young people and their families have to create own opportunities Parents spend 10% of income on adult children Wide disparities between families Some young adults work long hours to pay for education Some parents take a hit to retirement planning
Understanding cognitive aging
changes in cognition with age are small - greater contact may emphasize this point
Identity
fear that older people are encroaching on the identity domains (music culture) of younger adults
Biological Age Factors
heart rate, blood pressure, glucose levels, muscle and bone strength
Resource threat
in the face of scarce resources, older people may face backlash if they are perceived to be using too many of those resources
