Ch. 15 - Late Adulthood: The Social World Flashcards
development is ___ diverse in late adulthood than at any other age
more
self theories
theories of late adulthood that emphasize the core self, or the search to maintain one’s integrity and identiy
integrity vs despair
final stage of Erikson’s developmental sequence, in which older adults seek to integrate their unique experiences with their vision of community
personality and physical changes
most older people consider their personalities and attitudes to have remained quite stable over their life span, even as they recognize the physical changes of their bodies
objects and places in late adulthood
become more precious than earlier as a way to hold on to identity; may result in compulsive hoarding
positivity effect
tendency or elderly people to perceive, prefer, and remember positive images and experiences more than negative ones
- selective memory compensates for troubles
- unpleasant experiences may be reinterpreted as inconsequential
stratification theories
emphasize social forces, especially those related to a person’s social stratum/category.
- limits individual choices
- affect person’s ability to function in late adulthood as past stratification continues to limit life in various ways
stratification by gender
puts M/F on separate tracks in life
stratification by ethnicity
ethnic background affects every aspect of development lifelong, including: education, health, place of residence, employment
stratification by income
pivotal influence on well-being of the elderly; correlates with gender, ethnicity, and age, but it isn’t caused by them
stratification by age
industrialized nations segregate elderly people, gradually shunting them out of the mainstream of society as they grow older; segregation by age harms everyone b/c it creates socialization deficits for members of all age groups
disengagement theory
aging makes a person’s social sphere increasingly narrow resulting in role relinquishment, withdrawal, and passivity
activity theory
elderly people want and need to remain active in a variety of social spheres – w/ relatives, friends, and community groups – and become withdrawn only unwillingly, as a result of ageism
work in old age
- work provides social support and status, boosting self-esteem
- psychological benefits of work can be obtained through volunteer work
why do older adults work?
because they need money and appreciate social recognition and self-fulfillment that work brings
employment history affects …
current health and happiness of older adults
when does retirement correlate with illness?
when it is precipitated by structural changes, poor health, or fading competence
volunteer work offers…
generativity and social connections