2.2 Perspectives On Age Inequality

Question 1

(Functionalists) parsons talked about the organic analogy what did he mean by this?

Answer 1

Society like a body

All the institutions work together like organs

Question 2

(Functionalists) what needs to be maintained in society?

Answer 2

Social stability

Question 3

(Functionalists) to maintain social stability what do we have to do?

Answer 3

Learn our roles and fit in

Question 4

(Functionalists) who create instability?

Answer 4

Old and young people

Question 5

(Functionalists) what do youth subcultures find a way of?

Answer 5

Learning our roles and fitting in

Question 6

(Functionalists) youth culture is compared to what?

Answer 6

A bridge

Question 7

(Functionalists) youth culture is like a bridge in that we rebel and do what?

Answer 7

Try out deviant behaviour

Question 8

(Functionalists) bridge - what is the response to our deviant behaviour?

Answer 8

We are socialised and punished

Learn how to be adults

Question 9

(Functionalists) what did Cummings and Henry come up with?

Answer 9

Disengagement theory

Question 10

(Functionalists) the disengagement theory says we all what?

Answer 10

Die

Question 11

(Functionalists) disengagement- the sudden loss of someone’s roles create what?

Answer 11

Instability in society

Question 12

(Functionalists) disengagement- as we age what happens?

Answer 12

Our ability to fulfill our roles deteriorates

Question 13

(Functionalists) disengagement- what should we do to prevent instability?

Answer 13

Gradually let go with managed disengagement e.g. Of job role

Question 14

(Functionalists) disengagement- what new roles might older people take on?

Answer 14

Childcare

Volunteering

Question 15

(Functionalists) criticism - we are not all what?

Answer 15

Homogenous

Question 16

(Functionalists) criticisms - what does it mean that we are not all homogenous?

Answer 16

We don’t all age at the same rate or experience the same inequality

Question 17

(Functionalists) criticisms - why can functionalists be seen as too optimistic?

Answer 17

Not all old people take on new roles

Not all young people are successfully guided away from defiance

Question 18

(Functionalists) criticisms - functionalists can be said to be blaming what?

Answer 18

The victim

Question 19

(Functionalists) criticisms - what causes inequality?

Answer 19

The social system e.g. Low state pension or minimum wage

Question 20

(Marxists) how do Marxists explain age inequality?

Answer 20

in terms of what capitalism needs

Question 21

(Marxists) why are the young and old more likely to be on zero hour contracts?

Answer 21

reserve army of labour

Question 22

(Marxists) what are young people a cheap source of?

Answer 22

labour

Question 23

(Marxists) what do older people provide? and what effect does this have?

Answer 23

free childcare

meaning more younger workers are free to work

Question 24

(Marxists) how are the old and the young a reserve army of labour?

Answer 24

secondary source of labour they can be hired and fired as and when needed

Question 25

(Marxists) what does Gramsci talk about?

Answer 25

legitimation of authority

Question 26

(Marxists) Gramsci says small benefits e.g. pensions, child benefit have what effect?

Answer 26

fool the young and old into accepting inequality | making them dependent on the state

Question 27

(Marxists) who does age inequality benefit?

Answer 27

capitalism | the bourgeoisie

Question 28

(Marxists) political economy says that inequality does what?

Answer 28

meets the needs of the economy

Question 29

(Marxists) Phillipson says capitalism needs to continually do what?

Answer 29

replace it's workforce using young more productive workers to maximise profitability

Question 30

(Marxists) in order to replace workers capitalism needs a system of doing what to the elderly what?

Answer 30

institutionally marginalising them | done by making them retire so new workers take over (institutionalised dependency)

Question 31

(Marxists) as a result of institutionalised marginalisation, forced dependency takes place what is this?

Answer 31

the elderly become dependent on society as they are denied access to work

Question 32

(Marxists) Criticisms -like functionalism what do Marxists assume about all old and young people?

Answer 32

they are all the same - ignores class and gender

Question 33

(Marxists) Criticisms - Marxists ignore the growth of the grey pound what is this?

Answer 33

older consumers who are an asset to the bourgeosie

Question 34

(feminists) what did Itzin claim women face when ageing?

Answer 34

a double standard

Question 35

(feminists) Itzin - what is men's status related to?

Answer 35

employment

Question 36

(feminists) Itzin - what is a woman's status related to?

Answer 36

reproduction | status declines after childbearing age

Question 37

(feminists) Itzin - who have lower status?

Answer 37

older women

Question 38

(feminists) Itzin - what is cometicisation?

Answer 38

women are pressured to fight the signs of ageing e.g. surgery men don't face the same pressure

Question 39

(feminists) criticisms - what do feminists assume the problem is and what is the issue with this?

Answer 39

patriarchy | real issue may be poverty

Question 40

(feminists) criticisms - how does cosmeticisation not only apply to women?

Answer 40

products targeted at men to prevent ageing e.g. just for men

Question 41

(postmodernism) what did Polemus say about youth?

Answer 41

it is not homogenous it involves picking and mixing | shopping from the supermarket of style

Question 42

(postmodernism) what did Laczko and Phillipson say about wealth and early retirement?

Answer 42

mean positive ageing for many

Question 43

(postmodernism) Featherstone and Hepsworth say some people feel forced to do what?

Answer 43

wear the mask of old age

Question 44

(postmodernism) how do some resist the mask of old age?

Answer 44

cosmetic surgery resulting to act in terms of stereotypes exotic holidays, activities

Question 45

(postmodernism) globalisation means a multicultural society with what?

Answer 45

different attitudes to age some cultures are gerontocratic some treat children as precious others tolerate them believing they are immature

Question 46

(postmodernism) what are the two nations?

Answer 46

``` 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 ```

Question 47

(Weberian) what did Weber use to explain the low status of the old and young?

Answer 47

market situation

Question 48

(Weberian) when will a person suffer low status?

Answer 48

when they don't have the skills required

Question 49

(Weberian) if an upper class person becomes elderly why do they not suffer the same loss of status?

Answer 49

they have the financial resources to live a comfortable life e.g. the queen is elderly but has status and wealth

Question 50

(Weberian) Turner - the elderly and yound become stigmatised, why?

Answer 50

they don't have what it takes to gain high status

Question 51

(Weberian) Turner - in Western society based on consumption who is given high status? what does this mean for the old an young?

Answer 51

those with material goods | elderly and young least likely to have this

Question 52

(Weberian) in gerontocracy what is interlinked? what does this suggest?

Answer 52

power and age | age and status depends on the key values of the society

Question 53

(social action) Parkin said that some are in negatively privileged status groups what did he mean?

Answer 53

they are segregated from higher status groups - can be applied to the old and young

Question 54

(social action) Parkin - how are the elderly segregated in the media?

Answer 54

aren't really included in the media and when they are they are portrayed stereotypically

Question 55

(social action) Parkin - how are the elderly & young segregated in employment?

Answer 55

forced to retire | zero hour contracts

Question 56

(social action) Parkin - how are the elderly segregated in living arrangements?

Answer 56

often forced into smaller homes or care homes as they age

Question 57

(social action) Havinghurst - what did he criticise?

Answer 57

functionalists disengagement theory

Question 58

(social action) what did Havinghurst say age inequality was more about?

Answer 58

interaction | if we maintain social interaction it reduces negative experiences of ageing

Question 59

(social action) interactionism - how might labelling affect young people?

Answer 59

often labelled as trouble makers affecting their treatment, which may influence their self concept and lead to a self fulfilling prophecy