EVIDENCE - Age Flashcards
1
Q
WORK AND EMPLOYMENT 1
A
- There is a U shape in economic activity because 16-24 + 50-64 have the highest rates of unemployment (Resolution foundation 2024) - functionalism
- More than half of under 18s feel they are not taken seriously at work due to their age, with a further 76% of 25-34 year olds stating that they have been dicriminsated against at work for being ‘too young’ (CV libary) - functionalism / activity theory
- Almost 80,000 workers aged 65+ were employed on zero hour contracts in 2023 accounting for more than one in 20 (5.5%) of all those in employment, only workers aged 16-24 (11.6%) have a higher proportion working on zero hours (Center For Ageing Better) - marxism?
- 70.8% of UK workers reveal discrimination around age is common in their workplace, rising to 85.3% amongst those aged 55-64 (CV libary) - marxism (false class consciousness?)
2
Q
WORK AND EMPLOYMENT 2
A
- 60% of older employees have experianced workplace age discrimination, with 90-95% of those saying it is common (Center for Ageing better) - webarianism
- 64% of women and 59% of men have experianced age discrimination in the workplace (Center For Ageing Better) - feminism.
- An 89-year old NHS secretary Eileen Jolly, become the oldest person in the UK to win an age discrimination claim. Her superiors at reading’s Royal Berksheire Hospital fired her, claiming that she was stuck in her ‘old seceratarial ways’ and that she had demonstrated a ‘catastrophic failiure’ - postmodernism
- Equality act 2010 means that an employee is protected against discrimination because of age.
3
Q
AGE AND GENDER
A
- 26.3% of working age women worldwide are covered under a pension scheme, compared to 38.7% of men (Age platform).
- 34% of women 60+ reported experiancing violence or know someone who has since the beginning of the pandemic (Age platform).
- Gender steryotypes about girls and boys intelligence also may be aquired as early as age 6, with girls of this age being less likely to believe memers of their gender are “really, really smart” and therefore avoid activities for “smart” children (UNICEF).
4
Q
AGE AND CULTURE
A
- 2.1% of hourseholds are multigenerational, most likely to be from an Asian background (ONS 2021) - gerentocracy.
- The age discrimination in emplyoment act in the USA prohibits any discrimination by employers with 20 or more employees against workers who are 40 years or older.
- Phillipines youngesst age of consent is 12, wheras Japan in 2023 chnged age of consent from 13 to 16 after a centuar whilst the UK is 16. (World population review).3
5
Q
WEALTH, INCOME AND POVERTY
A
- Minimum wage for 16-17 year olds is £6.40 however the living wage for 21+ is £11.44 (Gov.uk)
- As of 2022/23 4.3 million children (or 30% of all children in the UK) are in poverty or were living in relative low-income households after the increase in housing costs (House of Lords Libary)
- The median total wealth amongst respondents aged in their early 60s was almost nine times as high as those aged in their early 30s (ONS 2020)
6
Q
DIGITAL GENERATIONAL MAP
A
- Only 80% of the young older adults (55-59) have internet / social media access and the proportion drops to 50% in the older group (60-69) and 30% in the oldest group (70+) (National institutes of health 2022).
- 70% of 3-17 year olds use apps to communicate (Ofcom 2023).
7
Q
MEDIA
A
- Cohen’s ‘mods and rockers’
- Older people aged 50+ play villains in 59% of films (Gena Davis Institute 2020)
- 75.5% of people aged 50+ are presented with steryotypical features (UK media).
- Kelly (2018) did a study on the portrayal of youth in media and her content analysis found that they present youth with steryotypical features and traits such as being: irresponsible, reckless, and self centered.
8
Q
HEALTH
A
- 1.6 million people aged 65+ have unmet needs for care and support (Age UK 2023)
- 72% of respondents felt that older people were less likely to be referred for surgery or chemotherapy, and that 66 per cent believed that symptoms were less likely to be investigated among older people (British Geriatrics Society Survey).
:)
- Infant mortiality rates have declined significantly and are at the best they’ve been since 1980 (ONS 2022)
9
Q
SOCIAL MOBILITY
A
- During covid, young people were twice as likely to be working in sectors that were shut down than the rest of the workforce (Government events 2021)
- Only about 1 in 5 (21%) 18-24 year-olds think that every young person in the UK has the same opportunity to succeed as older people (Sutton trust 2024).
10
Q
Functionalists view on age inequality
A
Age inequality is functional
- 47% of families rely on grandparents as a form of informal childcare (GOV.UK)
- Life expectancy for males is growing over time (for example in the 80’s the life expectancy was 70.8, however in 2020 it was at 78.5). ALSO retirement age for 2020 is 66 (age UK) versus state pension being granted at the age of 65 in the 80’s. (this shows how the reitrement age isn’t growing much but the life expectancy is).
11
Q
Feminist view on age inequality
A
Elderly women are doubly opressed as their status is determined by their physical appearance
- It is estimated that women over the age of 50 account for 35% of the cosmetic markets income, despite only being 20% of the population (Gov.Uk)
- Results suggested that nearly half (49%) of women and a quarter (23%) of men said they feel pressured to stay looking young (somerset cosmetic clinic).
12
Q
Marxist view on age inequality
A
The young and elderly are exploited in work by the bourgeoisie.
- In surveys, many older individuals express concern that job opportunities and the ability to advance in their careers decline significantly after the age of 50 (Sutton Trust).
- Younger age groups are generally more likely to experience unemployment. 16% of 16 to 19-year-olds and 8% of 20 to 24-year-olds are unemployed, compared with 3.1% of people .aged 25 to 34 years. (The Health Foundation).
13
Q
Postmodernist view on age inequality
A
Age inequality is less relevant because society is improving more and age is subjective, it is judged on appearance rather then actual age, meaning that an elderly person can chose to look young and won’t get inequality.
- The equality act of 2010 (you’re not allowed to be discriminated against because you are a certain age).
- Elieene Jolly, at the age of 89, became the oldest woman to win a lawsuit for age discrimination in the workplace after they fired her for her ‘old secterial ways’.
14
Q
Interactionist view on age inequality
A
Labels are given to the young and elderly which they internalize and create a self fufilling profecy.
- Older people aged 50+ play villains in 59% of films (Gena Davis Institute 2020)
- 75.5% of people aged 50+ are presented with steryotypical features (UK media).
- Kelly (2018) did a study on the portrayal of youth in media and her content analysis found that they present youth with steryotypical features and traits such as being: irresponsible, reckless, and self centered.
15
Q
Activity theory’s view on age inequality
A
The more involved you are in society the less inequality you will face. Young and old face the most inequality if they contribute less to society.
- People aged 16-17 years old have a median weekly pay of £274 versus 40-49 year olds having £770 (house of commons libary). BUT during term time, 16 year olds can only work a maximum of 12 hours a week and over 18’s can work a maximum of 48 hours a week (GOV.UK).
- Research found that the elderly who participated in volunteer work and engaged in social activities had better mental welbeing (Age Uk) (they have less inequality because they’re a part of society).
- There is a U shape in economic activity because 16-24 + 50-64 have the highest rates of unemployment (Resolution foundation 2024)
