Age: Social action theories

Question 1

Social action theories

Answer 1

• Micro perspective
• Some look at economic and social capital as a cause
• Others are interested in the cause of less social interaction

Question 2

Weberian theory:

Answer 2

• Looked at market position to describe low status of young and old people
• E.g. If an older person, who is working class, doesn’t have many skills with technology, they will have low status
• But people that are older but upper class have more financial stability so can keep their higher status

Question 3

Parkin:

Answer 3

• Older people are often socially segregated
• Find themselves in negatively privileged status groups
• In employment – through retirement, in living arrangements through care homes

Question 4

Activity theory:

Answer 4

• Staying mentally and physically active increases happiness
• Maintaining social interactions reduces the negative experiences of ageing
• Statham – research found that grandparents who provide childcare have more social interactions which leads to less inequality

Question 5

Turner:

Answer 5

• Age discrimination is best understood in terms of status
• In western societies, both older people and young people are stigmatised due to not having the skills to gain status
• In consumption societies those with limited material goods have low status
• Status determines someone’s position in society and is relevant to each individual society

Question 6

Interactionists: Labelling:

Answer 6

• Negative labelling of older and younger people by the media can lead to self-fulfilling prophecies
• E.g. Victor = if the elderly are labelled as ‘useless, lonely and dependent’ ten the stereotypes become reality

Question 7

Evaluation of social action theories

Answer 7

• Discuss ideas with a micro approach which allows other factors to be considered
• They fail to recognise the structural causes of inequality (capitalism and patriarchy)