Social Theories Of Aging
Social Theories of Aging
Age Stratification Theory
People are grouped into age cohorts, known as age strata. Age is one basis of control over resources, such as allocation of jobs. Age categories change through time based on historical events, biological and social aging. Roles and how you should act, are based upon which age strata you are born into, and how these change over time (both individual time, as you age, and how your age strata moves through society at a particular point in historical time).
This theory seeks to explain and understand differences between age groups in a society.
It begins with the observation that all societies are age-graded, meaning that they arrange themselves into a hierarchy of socially defined, …show more content…
However, the theory tries to understand how it is that experiences in old age within countries are influenced by larger issues of globalization. It draws from both political economy and feminist approaches.
Critical gerontologists say images from popular culture about what aging is, as well as outdated theories (such as disengagement or modernization), have influenced the kind of research that many scholars in gerontology do.
Social Constructionism
• Through interaction, we create our social reality (including meanings/experiences of old age)
• The society in which you live helps you define yourself
• Emphasis is on microsocial processes
• Can change depending on time, place, sec, etc.
Aging experiences are situational and emergent. They rely on self-conceptions and meanings of old age that are derived through negotiation and discourse.
Successful aging/how one must age • Does not assume anything about how to age successfully. • There is no inherently right or wrong way to age; it depends on how we define it.
Activity …show more content…
Social interaction is a rational calculation that attempts to maximize benefits for any one individual, due largely to the unequal distribution of resources. Interaction between young & old people thus decreases as old people lose resources to exchange over time.
Its origins lie in micro-economic theory. Every interaction is designed to maximize benefits and minimize costs. Usually the elderly disengage because they offer less benefits. Differentiates between immediate exchange/deferred exchange strategies (immediate exchange- exchanges in goods and services at one point in time; deferred exchange- exchanges over the life course [recognizing strong ties over time])
Successful aging (based on this theory) would require long-term maintenance of resources – managing resources thus would allow continued social engagement. Maintaining resources slows down the “burdening” process of lacking something to offer. The exchange equation thus must be “equal” to be ‘successfully aging’ – to be able to offer more benefits than costs to the young, including inheritance ability to watch children,
Age Stratification Theory
People are grouped into age cohorts, known as age strata. Age is one basis of control over resources, such as allocation of jobs. Age categories change through time based on historical events, biological and social aging. Roles and how you should act, are based upon which age strata you are born into, and how these change over time (both individual time, as you age, and how your age strata moves through society at a particular point in historical time).
This theory seeks to explain and understand differences between age groups in a society.
It begins with the observation that all societies are age-graded, meaning that they arrange themselves into a hierarchy of socially defined, …show more content…
However, the theory tries to understand how it is that experiences in old age within countries are influenced by larger issues of globalization. It draws from both political economy and feminist approaches.
Critical gerontologists say images from popular culture about what aging is, as well as outdated theories (such as disengagement or modernization), have influenced the kind of research that many scholars in gerontology do.
Social Constructionism
• Through interaction, we create our social reality (including meanings/experiences of old age)
• The society in which you live helps you define yourself
• Emphasis is on microsocial processes
• Can change depending on time, place, sec, etc.
Aging experiences are situational and emergent. They rely on self-conceptions and meanings of old age that are derived through negotiation and discourse.
Successful aging/how one must age • Does not assume anything about how to age successfully. • There is no inherently right or wrong way to age; it depends on how we define it.
Activity …show more content…
Social interaction is a rational calculation that attempts to maximize benefits for any one individual, due largely to the unequal distribution of resources. Interaction between young & old people thus decreases as old people lose resources to exchange over time.
Its origins lie in micro-economic theory. Every interaction is designed to maximize benefits and minimize costs. Usually the elderly disengage because they offer less benefits. Differentiates between immediate exchange/deferred exchange strategies (immediate exchange- exchanges in goods and services at one point in time; deferred exchange- exchanges over the life course [recognizing strong ties over time])
Successful aging (based on this theory) would require long-term maintenance of resources – managing resources thus would allow continued social engagement. Maintaining resources slows down the “burdening” process of lacking something to offer. The exchange equation thus must be “equal” to be ‘successfully aging’ – to be able to offer more benefits than costs to the young, including inheritance ability to watch children,