2.2 Perspectives On Age Inequality Flashcards
(Functionalists) parsons talked about the organic analogy what did he mean by this?
Society like a body
All the institutions work together like organs
(Functionalists) what needs to be maintained in society?
Social stability
(Functionalists) to maintain social stability what do we have to do?
Learn our roles and fit in
(Functionalists) who create instability?
Old and young people
(Functionalists) what do youth subcultures find a way of?
Learning our roles and fitting in
(Functionalists) youth culture is compared to what?
A bridge
(Functionalists) youth culture is like a bridge in that we rebel and do what?
Try out deviant behaviour
(Functionalists) bridge - what is the response to our deviant behaviour?
We are socialised and punished
Learn how to be adults
(Functionalists) what did Cummings and Henry come up with?
Disengagement theory
(Functionalists) the disengagement theory says we all what?
Die
(Functionalists) disengagement- the sudden loss of someone’s roles create what?
Instability in society
(Functionalists) disengagement- as we age what happens?
Our ability to fulfill our roles deteriorates
(Functionalists) disengagement- what should we do to prevent instability?
Gradually let go with managed disengagement e.g. Of job role
(Functionalists) disengagement- what new roles might older people take on?
Childcare
Volunteering
(Functionalists) criticism - we are not all what?
Homogenous
(Functionalists) criticisms - what does it mean that we are not all homogenous?
We don’t all age at the same rate or experience the same inequality
(Functionalists) criticisms - why can functionalists be seen as too optimistic?
Not all old people take on new roles
Not all young people are successfully guided away from defiance
(Functionalists) criticisms - functionalists can be said to be blaming what?
The victim
(Functionalists) criticisms - what causes inequality?
The social system e.g. Low state pension or minimum wage
(Marxists) how do Marxists explain age inequality?
in terms of what capitalism needs
(Marxists) why are the young and old more likely to be on zero hour contracts?
reserve army of labour
(Marxists) what are young people a cheap source of?
labour
(Marxists) what do older people provide? and what effect does this have?
free childcare
meaning more younger workers are free to work
(Marxists) how are the old and the young a reserve army of labour?
secondary source of labour they can be hired and fired as and when needed
(Marxists) what does Gramsci talk about?
legitimation of authority
(Marxists) Gramsci says small benefits e.g. pensions, child benefit have what effect?
fool the young and old into accepting inequality
making them dependent on the state
(Marxists) who does age inequality benefit?
capitalism
the bourgeoisie
(Marxists) political economy says that inequality does what?
meets the needs of the economy
(Marxists) Phillipson says capitalism needs to continually do what?
replace it’s workforce using young more productive workers to maximise profitability
(Marxists) in order to replace workers capitalism needs a system of doing what to the elderly what?
institutionally marginalising them
done by making them retire so new workers take over (institutionalised dependency)
(Marxists) as a result of institutionalised marginalisation, forced dependency takes place what is this?
the elderly become dependent on society as they are denied access to work
(Marxists) Criticisms -like functionalism what do Marxists assume about all old and young people?
they are all the same - ignores class and gender
(Marxists) Criticisms - Marxists ignore the growth of the grey pound what is this?
older consumers who are an asset to the bourgeosie
(feminists) what did Itzin claim women face when ageing?
a double standard
(feminists) Itzin - what is men’s status related to?
employment
(feminists) Itzin - what is a woman’s status related to?
reproduction
status declines after childbearing age
(feminists) Itzin - who have lower status?
older women
(feminists) Itzin - what is cometicisation?
women are pressured to fight the signs of ageing e.g. surgery
men don’t face the same pressure
(feminists) criticisms - what do feminists assume the problem is and what is the issue with this?
patriarchy
real issue may be poverty
(feminists) criticisms - how does cosmeticisation not only apply to women?
products targeted at men to prevent ageing e.g. just for men
(postmodernism) what did Polemus say about youth?
it is not homogenous it involves picking and mixing
shopping from the supermarket of style
(postmodernism) what did Laczko and Phillipson say about wealth and early retirement?
mean positive ageing for many
(postmodernism) Featherstone and Hepsworth say some people feel forced to do what?
wear the mask of old age
(postmodernism) how do some resist the mask of old age?
cosmetic surgery
resulting to act in terms of stereotypes
exotic holidays, activities
(postmodernism) globalisation means a multicultural society with what?
different attitudes to age
some cultures are gerontocratic
some treat children as precious others tolerate them believing they are immature
(postmodernism) what are the two nations?
middle class pensioners who can afford to resist the mask of old age e.g. with activities/holidays working class who can't afford this and simply retire into the stereotypical roles
(Weberian) what did Weber use to explain the low status of the old and young?
market situation
(Weberian) when will a person suffer low status?
when they don’t have the skills required
(Weberian) if an upper class person becomes elderly why do they not suffer the same loss of status?
they have the financial resources to live a comfortable life e.g. the queen is elderly but has status and wealth
(Weberian) Turner - the elderly and yound become stigmatised, why?
they don’t have what it takes to gain high status
(Weberian) Turner - in Western society based on consumption who is given high status? what does this mean for the old an young?
those with material goods
elderly and young least likely to have this
(Weberian) in gerontocracy what is interlinked? what does this suggest?
power and age
age and status depends on the key values of the society
(social action) Parkin said that some are in negatively privileged status groups what did he mean?
they are segregated from higher status groups - can be applied to the old and young
(social action) Parkin - how are the elderly segregated in the media?
aren’t really included in the media and when they are they are portrayed stereotypically
(social action) Parkin - how are the elderly & young segregated in employment?
forced to retire
zero hour contracts
(social action) Parkin - how are the elderly segregated in living arrangements?
often forced into smaller homes or care homes as they age
(social action) Havinghurst - what did he criticise?
functionalists disengagement theory
(social action) what did Havinghurst say age inequality was more about?
interaction
if we maintain social interaction it reduces negative experiences of ageing
(social action) interactionism - how might labelling affect young people?
often labelled as trouble makers affecting their treatment, which may influence their self concept and lead to a self fulfilling prophecy
