age theory Flashcards
Parsons - Functionalism (age theory) 3 studies
Youth - 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.
Middle age - Roles: Instrumental - men as breadwinner and provider. Expressive - the caring role that women take on, looking after home and children. These are functionally more important to maintain the value consensus and social solidarity.
Old age - Loss of roles: Elderly have less status in society. Once children grow up and men retire, the elderly lose their most important social role within the family. May be isolated from their children who tend to focus more on marriage. Elderley disengage with their previous roles and ‘harvest the fruits of their labours’ and enjoy recreational activities.
Eisenstadt - Functionalism (age theory)
Youth - 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. Youth culture is inherently binding, in that shared interests with peers creates a sense of community.
Cumming and Henry - Functionalism (age theory)
Old age - Disengagement theory: states the process of disengagement from previous social roles is beneficial for social order (eg, this will free up jobs for younger people).
The way society treats the old has positive benefits. The elderly are encouraged to abandon their occupational roles within the specialised division of labour, through the ageing process and society’s reaction to this. ‘Social disengagement’ allows youths to take their place with minimum disruption.
Gramsci - Marxism (age theory)
Discusses hegemony, which means keeping just enough workers on side to prevent a revolution. False consciousness explains that people don’t realise their exploitation often through concessions that they receive. Such as child benefit and pensions. This creates a form of dependency where the elderly and youth do not question their exploitation.
Bond et al - Marxism (age theory)
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.
Phillipson - Marxism (age theory)
Capitalism needs to continually renew its workplace who may be more productive. This means having a system where the elderley are institutionally marginalised, through a process of institutionalised dependency. The elderly are made to retire, a forced dependency then takes place, whereby the elderly become dependent on society as they are denied access to work.
Jones - Marxism (age theory)
The reserve army of labour is a group of unemployed who are brought in during booms, thrown out during slumps and prepared to work for low wages in temporary jobs. ½ Spanish grandparents look after grandchildren everyday and ⅓ British grandparents provide some sort of childcare. Grandparents are a new reserve army of labour because they provide free childcare and benefit capitalism by doing this.
Sontag - Feminism (age theory)
Double standard of ageing - Women are often less likely to be in high profile/visible roles in the media when they are older. For example, Phillip Schofield is known as the silver fox, whereas Fern Britton was replaced by younger Holly Willoughby.
Barron and Norris - Weberian (age theory)
Class - There is a primary and secondary labour market. The primary labour market has high-wage jobs and social security. Middle aged people often work in the primary labour market. The secondary labour market has poorer pay and conditions. Young and old people often have work in this secondary labour market.
Clarke and Warren - Postmodernism (age theory)
Old age may be a time to make new friends and engage in new interests. Inclusion in these activities may define age identity. Active ageing is seen as an active and engaged stage of life. Age of champions illustrates that old age is now becoming a phase to engage in new activities, hobbies and social circles. Also supported by University of the Third age.
Cohen - Interpretivists / Interactionalists (age theory)
Ideas about age can be linked to moral panics ie Mods and Rockers. The media over exaggerated the row between two groups which created a moral panic. The first disagreement was very small, which happened at Clacton on Sea. The media portrayed the friction between the two groups as a big/violent feud which it wasn’t. The media created a moral panic by using melodramatic vocabulary, eg, terror, riot, attack and shocking pictures.
