Chapter 2 Flashcards
a subfield within the wider field of gerontology; it focuses on the social side of aging while other subfields study the physical and biological aspects of aging
social gerontology
these theories focus on individuals and their interactions; they are used to explain phenomena such as the relationship between adult children and their parents, changes in memory with age, and the effect of negative attitudes on older people’s self-esteem
micro-level theories
these theories “examine social structures or structural elements as they influence experiences and behaviours”
macro-level theories
a perspective that focuses almost exclusively on the micro level of social life; it looks at how people define situations, how they create social order, and how they relate to one another in daily life
Interpretive perspective
this perspective holds that social order is based on consensus, cooperation, and shared norms and values, and that all parts of society serve a role or function to keep society in a state of balance or equilibrium
Functionalist perspective
theoretical perspective based on the belief that knowledge is built by studying observable facts and their relationship to one another
positivist worldview
a theory that focuses on the movement of age cohorts over the life course and on “the role of social structures in the process of individual aging and stratification by age in society”
age stratification theory
a group of people born in the same period of time; for example, all the people born between 1950 and 1955 form an age cohort
age cohort
a concept used in age stratification theory to describe a period of life defined by society, such as childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood
age grade
a functionalist approach that bridges the micro and macro levels of analysis by incorporating social interaction and social structure within its framework
life course perspective
changes in social status or social roles such as marriage, parenthood, divorce, remarriage, and widowhood.
transitions
long-term patterns of stability and change that often include many transitions
trajectories
a perspective that holds that society consists of conflicts between dominant and subordinate social groups
conflict perspective
a theory that focuses on conflict and change in social life; it traces this conflict to the struggle between social classes and to the resulting dominance of some groups in society and the subordination of others
Political economy theory
“macro level connections linking systems of oppression such as race, class, and gender”
Interlocking systems of oppression
this theory says that disadvantages earlier in life accumulate and are magnified over the life course
Cumulative disadvantage theory
an approach that views gender as a defining characteristic in social interaction and life experiences, as well as in the process and experience of aging; gender is seen as socially constructed, with men being more advantaged than women in society
feminist approach
an approach that seeks to understand the “inside” of aging by examining the narratives or life stories that people tell in order to organize and make sense of their lives, and their experiences of aging
narrative gerontology
a theory that focuses on shared values and social norms that shape popular beliefs in the legitimacy of certain practices and policies; this theory complements political economy theory
moral economy theory
theoretical approaches that look “within” theory and research to critically examine and question the underlying and “taken-for-granted” assumptions about aging
Critical gerontology
contrasts contemporary society with society in the recent past; for example, older people today can take on many roles in retirement, whereas in the past they had limited options after they retired
Post-modern theory
effects on a person’s life related to physical decline or change due to the aging process
age effects
an effect on a person’s life due to the time of measurement; this would include historical, social, or environmental effects, such as an ongoing war, changes in health habits (e.g., better nutrition), or changes in healthcare policies that have different influences on different age cohorts
period or environmental effects
an effect on a person’s life related to the time of the person’s birth
cohort effects
a research method that studies people from many age groups at one point in time
Cross-sectional research design
a research method that looks at a single group of people at two or more points in time
Longitudinal research design
a research method that examines different groups of people of the same age at different points in time (e.g., 70 year olds in 1989,1999, and 2009)
Time-lag comparison design
a research method that looks at a series of cross-sectional studies during a longitudinal study
Sequential design
research methods that use statistical methods and mathematical models to analyze data that include census data, national social surveys, and epidemiological studies
Quantitative methods
refers to the use of more than one research method in a research study; for example, combining a quantitative survey with qualitative interviews, or two qualitative methods, such as interviews and focus groups
Mixed methods (or triangulation)
research methods that include in-depth interviews, analysis of the content of documents or artifacts, and field observation; researchers use these methods to understand individuals’ social world and experience from the subjects’ own perspective
Qualitative methods
promotes the use of research findings in the delivery of services to older people
Evidence-based practice
