AGE STUDIES

Question 1

Parsons Functionalist

Answer 1

Parsons - Argues age related differences contribute to overall functioning of the social system. Differences are key for smooth functioning of society. Age strata are functional for society - Childhood socialises - Adolescence is a stage for developing independence.

Parsons – Gender roles adopted at middle age – Women = Expressive – Men = Instrumental.

Parsons - The elderly do have lower status/can be disengaged as they abandon some social roles and leave the younger generations to pick up roles.

Question 2

Eisenstadt Functionalist

Answer 2

Eisenstadt - Argued that differential age groups enable individuals to learn and acquire new social roles and contribute to cohesion and solidarity. Youths’ need to go from ascribed status of child to achieved status of individual adult. Breaking away from the family home is difficult and emotionally stressful. Being part of a subculture provides a forum for the frustrations of this period and process. Suggest youth culture is inherently binding, in that shared interests with peers creates a sense of community.

Question 3

Cumming and henry Functionalist

Answer 3

Cumming and Henry – ‘Disengagement theory’ – States the process of disengagement from previous social roles is beneficial for social order (disengage from previous social roles and free up jobs for younger people)

Question 4

Bond et al Marxism

Answer 4

Bond et al (1993) ‘The Political Economy of Old Age’
Those from lower social classes are more likely to suffer poverty in old age because during their working lives their incomes are too low to save for retirement and they are less likely to have private pensions.
Government state pensions are inadequate and therefore those who are elderly and from lower social classes are discriminated against.

Question 5

Philipson Marxism

Answer 5

Philipson - The elderly are forced to retire and therefore institutionally marginalised. The elderly then become dependent on society however as they are denied access to work.

Question 6

Vincent Marxism

Answer 6

Vincent (2006) argues that age is another aspect of stratification - one that all members of society will pass through in life course. Disadvantage is tied up with the needs of the economy.
Inequality is specifically suffered by the elderly- Working class women in particular suffer discrimination. The young and the old are more vulnerable to being part of the Reserve army of Labour.
In Western society age divisions are often blamed on biological ageing – they argue many people over 65 are not capable of working.
The state greatly over estimates ‘the problem’ of an ageing population – if the state effectively redistributed income from the wealthy and businesses it could easily pay for the elderly. Ageism exacerbates the problems for the elderly.

Question 7

Jones Marxism

Answer 7

Jones says the elderly are the new reserve army of labour as they face childcare and financial burdens to support their grandchildren.

Question 8

Barron and Norris Weberian

Answer 8

Barron and Norris - Argue there is a primary and secondary labour market. Young and old age groups are more likely to be part of the secondary labour market

Question 9

Featherstone and Hepworth Postmodernism

Answer 9

Featherstone and Hepworth - Argue that the life course has begun to be deconstructed (broken down) – they claim two processes have taken place:
De-differentiation - the process by which the differences between different stages of the life course become less clear.
Deinstitutionalisation - the process by which the institutions of society become less closely associated with maintaining different phases of the life course.
There are constant messages from the media to ‘stay young’ and delay the process of aging, The ‘mask of aging’.