Age Inequality: Weberian Theory (Social Action Theory)

Question 1

What people discuss Weberian theory for age?

Answer 1

• Weber: Market position and financial resources of elderly and youth.
• Parkin: Elderly being socially segregated.
• Turner: Exchange theory (Not explicitly Weberian but they discuss status)

Question 2

What does Weber say?

Answer 2

• The elderly and youths market position explains their low status.
• If they lack skill, they don’t have status (elderly and tech, youth without middle class value of qualifications).
• Though if upper class and elderly they will not suffer a loss of status as financial resources means they can live comfortably regardless of skill.

Question 3

What does Parkin say?

Answer 3

Elderly could be kept out of high status groups due to social segregation through the media, employment, and living arrangements.

Question 4

How can Weberian theory be criticised?

Answer 4

• Micro approach.
• Fail to acknowledge structural causes of inequality like capitalism.
• Also ignore institutional ageism.

Question 5

Who talks about negatively privileged status groups?

Answer 5

Parkin

Question 6

Who discusses exchange theory?

Answer 6

Turner

Question 7

What is exchange theory?

Answer 7

• Turner: In Western societies, the elderly & young become stigmatised due to not having what it takes to gain high status in a society based on consumption, as they are the least likely to have material goods.
• By using ‘reciprocity-maturation curve of ageing’, it is simple to see that if groups are dependent, they then have low status.
• However, in a gerontocracy where power and age are interlinked, the elderly will have high status.
• Thus, inequality is not only about economic capital, but due to values of society.