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