Age Inequality: Interactionism (Social Action Theory)

Question 1

What is ‘activity theory’ which interactionalists discuss?

Answer 1

The idea that staying mentally and physically active will increase happiness through aging.

Question 2

What did Statham discuss?

Answer 2

How grandparents providing childcare may mean interaction continues, and could change inequalities faced by isolated elderly.

Question 3

How does Cohen’s labelling theory relate to age?

Answer 3

• Old labelled as lonely and useless. Perhaps employers see them as weak and useless, and dismiss them.
• Studied examined media coverage of mods & rocker clashes in 60s, finding the subsequent coverage was out of proportion to the incidents themselves.
• Due to the media, the public developed an exaggerated concern.
• Cohen argued the media had created a moral panic about youths, turning them into ‘folk devils’.

Question 4

What do social action theories not recognise?

Answer 4

• Fails to recognise structural causes for inequality. Structuralists would question what conclusions could be drawn.
• Can ignore institutional agism that is the basis of many laws & practises.
• Perhaps this is a personal choice (like retiring early & being involved in the family) or a necessity for society to function (disengagement theory/functionalism)
• Ignores how status can also be reliant on other factors too like gender, ethnicity etc.,
• Does not recognise how the label starts, or whether it’s more of an internalised process.
• Assumes people are passive to these labels, & don’t challenge them.

Question 5

What Interactionists discuss age inequality?

Answer 5

• Statham: Activity theory
• Victor: Self-fulfilling prophecy
• Cohen: Moral panics, folk devils

Question 6

What does Victor discuss?

Answer 6

• If the elderly are labelled as ‘useless, lonely, dependent and unable to learn’, perhaps those stereotypes can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy.
• Perhaps media creators believe the public think this, and thus replace the elderly with youths, which causes the elderly to become the label.

Question 7

Who discusses the role of labelling through agencies of social control?

Answer 7

Victor