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Sociology > SECTION B: AGE INEQAULITIES: > Flashcards

SECTION B: AGE INEQAULITIES: Flashcards

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Sociology 101 flashcards
1
Q

Ageing:

A

Ageing is the physical and biological process that all human beings experience.

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2
Q

The division of age:

A
  • Age is divided into different periods, such as childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle age and old age.
  • These age division created by society has encouraged social expectations about the behaviour and lifestyle of each group, followed by their responsibilities, dependence and independence on one another.
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3
Q

Age strata:

A

Aka age categories, are a social construction, which can lead to different life experiences of social status, self-esteem and prejudice. Leading to marginalisation and inequality.

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4
Q

Johnson and Bytheway (1993)

A

Defined ageism as the offensive exercise of power through reference to age. This can be institutionalised through organisational and legal practices, or based on stereotypical prejudice or even through assumptions.

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5
Q

Butler:

A

Defines ageism as a process of negative stereotyping and discrimination against people purely on the grounds of chronological age. The elderly have been the targets of ageism.

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6
Q

Moral panic:

A

The youth can be victims of ageism. Through moral panic, which negatively focuses on the activities and cultural habits of young people are cited as evidence of ageism.

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7
Q

The Equality Act 2010:

A

Says that you must not be discriminated because your are, or are not, a certain age or age group, or because someone thinks you are or are not of a specific age or age group, that’s is known as discrimination by perception. You must not be discriminated because you are connected to someone of a specific age or age group, this is known as discrimination by association.

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8
Q

Ageism influenced:

A

Structural and institutional ageism cane be shown in many forms, such as in the workplace and recruitment process, stereotypes in TV and advertising, access to health services, and in the marketing of products. Ageist to stereotypes and portraying later in life as a time of frailty and decline.

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9
Q

Age inequality in work and employment:

A
  • Youths social construction in UK has restricted the employment opportunities of children and teenagers.
  • Student under fulltime school, are not allowed to work more than 12 hours in a school week.
  • Youngsters are seen as cheap labour and given less responsibility and status in almost every occupational sector.
  • Unemployment for 16-24 year olds has risen since 2004.
  • Old age is a social construction which can be illustrated through the ability to retire and state pension.
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10
Q

Patterns and trends:

A
  • UK is experiencing an ageing population: For example, in 2021, 33% of the population will be aged over 55 years and the number of over 65s will outnumber the number of those aged 16 years and under.
  • The ageing population in Britain is being described as a ‘demographic time-bomb’ due to concerns about future pensions.
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11
Q

Between mid-2009 and mid-2019:

A
  • The number of children under 16, was increased by 8.0% to 12.7 million.
  • The working age population, 16 to 64, increased by 3.2% to 41.7 million, the lowest growth of any age group.
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12
Q

Age composition of UK:2019:

A
  • Number of aged 65 years and over increased by 22.9% to 12.4 million.
  • Number of aged 70 years and over increased by 24.7% to 9.0 million.
  • Number of aged 85 years and over increased by 23% to 1.6 million.
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13
Q

Scase and Scales:

A

Argue that the elderly are likely to be split between affluent early retirees and those who are on or close to the breadline.

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14
Q

Ray at el:

A

Notes that the retirement age often differs according to social class and status.

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15
Q

Wealth and poverty:

A
  • Childhood, youth and old age are associated with economic uncertainty and poverty.
  • Middle age is often associated with financial security, responsibility and independence.
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16
Q

Child Poverty:

A
  • It is estimated that 3.5 million children are living in poverty in UK: that is one in three.
  • Two-thirds of children growing up in poverty live in a household where at least one person works.
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17
Q

Child Poverty Charities:

A

Charities such as the Child Poverty Action Group and End Child Poverty have identified a number of consequences of poverty that blight the lives of children:

  • Lower birth weight and chronic illness in later life.
  • Impeded educational development.
  • The risk of poverty is disproportionately high: 16% of pensioners in the UK according to Age UK.
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18
Q

Risk of poverty amongst older people:

A
  • Age UK claims that 900,000 pensioners live in severe poverty, meaning they’re unable to afford decent food, heat or live an independent life.
  • Fuel poverty is common for the elderly because fuel bills in the UK are high.
  • Age poverty estimates that 2 million elderly people are anxious about bills, thinking twice before using heating.
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19
Q

The digital generational gap:

A

-Gap between young and elderly due to ability to use technology.

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20
Q

Dowd 1984:

A

The digital generation gap can cause problems for employment, as older people may be less comfortable using technology. It can cause older people to become like ‘strangers in their own land’.

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21
Q

Silver Surfers:

A

This is a growing phenomenon: those who are post 65 are accessing and using digital technology and this may lead to changes in the population as a whole as more people become technologically informed.

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22
Q

Milne:

A
  • Milne found evidence of two worlds existing among the retired in the UK.
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23
Q

NUMBER 1: MILNE EVIDENCE:

A

The retirement population consists of the elderly.
State pensions are supported by occupational pensions and savings, and whose spending or consumption power is eagerly sought after by advertisers and businesses.

24
Q

NUMBER 2: MILNE EVIDNECE:

A

The other group are a retired population who have little savings because they have occupational low paid jobs, which did not offer occupational pensions. This group often live alone and have to work post retirement.

25
Q

Significance of work:

A

Work is important because it offers identity, status, self-esteem, purpose, well-being and provides social contacts.

26
Q

Interpretation of retirement:

A

Retirement often means social redundancy for example a loss of identity, status and purpose. It can mean loneliness for many.

27
Q

Jones et al:

A

Found that retirees in their study interpreted retirement positively.

28
Q

Global Comparisons of the elderly:

A
  • Globally, the life chances and treatment of the elderly shows a disparity of experience.
  • Historical and cross-cultural evidence reveals both the richness and disparity of different peoples experience of old age.
29
Q

Kegan 1980, Activity and ageing in a Columbian Peasant Village:

A
  • The old tended to remain socially and economically active.

- They did not constitute a gerontocracy, but were seen as valued and respected members of their communities.

30
Q

Nomadic Societies:

A
  • The old are neglected and killed if they are unable to follow the nomadic lifestyle.
  • Geronticide or senicide (abandonment to death), suicide or the killing of the elderly.
31
Q

Structural Explanations of Age Inequality:

A
  • Functionalism
  • Feminism
  • Marxism
32
Q

Functionalism: Parsons 1977:

A
  • Parson considered age to be important in modern societies.
  • Parsons argued that in pre-industrial society, age did not matter because family is determined one’s place
    within society.
  • However since industrialisation, individuals have been more socially and geographically mobile and age groups have become more important.
    -Parsons stated that age groups provide role sets that create a link between kinship groups and wider society.
33
Q

Cummings and Henry 1961:

A

Suggests that the way society treats the old has positive benefits for society.

The ageing process and social reaction, is reason for the elderly to either voluntarily or by legal compulsion be encouraged to socially disengage from their occupational roles.

34
Q

Social disengagement:

A

A process that allows the younger members of society to replace to elderly in the specialised division of labour with minimum disruption to both social and economic efficiency.

35
Q

Criticisms to functionalism:

A
  • There is a strong possibility that social order might be undermined by youth unemployment, low pay, an expensive housing market, the lengthening or education and high education costs.
  • These trends are likely to lead to more dependence on the family.
  • The difficulties in the transition to economic independence may be having a disadvantage in other areas of social life, e.g. young women are marrying later and having fewer children.
36
Q

Critics of disengagement theory:

A
  • Retirement from work and society is not voluntary. This disengagement also has negative consequences for self-esteem and social status for the elderly.
  • Disengagement could lead to the neglect of the experience, skills and talents of older members of society, that may still benefit society.
  • This theory also ignores the fact that many older people continue to be active participants within society.
37
Q

Marxism:

A
  • Young people are a cheap pool of flexible labour, a reserve army of labour.
  • They can be hired and fired as necessary.
  • With no dependents they are willing work for low wages.
  • Lack of experience legitimates low pay, and competition for jobs keep wages low.
38
Q

Neo Marxist Gramsci:

A
  • Bourgeoises maintain power through force and civil consent.
  • False consciousness: People don’t realise their exploitation through the concessions they receive.
  • Child benefit and pensions create a form of dependency.
  • Whilst legitimating the need for the powers of authority.
  • The elderly and the young do not question their positions in the about market.
39
Q

Marxism: Political Economy Theory: Phillipson 1982:

A
  • Philipson had suggested that the logic of capitalism, is incompatible with the elderly.
  • The elderly have historically been used as a reserve army of labour, especially in the retail sector.
  • However, the privileged sector of the elderly has more economic power to consume services.
40
Q

Criticisms to Marxism:

A
  • Accused of economic determinism: only focus and seek to explain inequality in terms of social class which neglects gender, ethnicity, disability and nationality.
  • Elderly groups are not homogenous, e.g. there is some evidence that elderly Asians are more respected by the youngers and less likely to face ageism than they would in a white community.
  • The experience of being elderly in an Asian community will be characterised by racism
41
Q

Marxism: Age inequality:

A
  • Means of production
  • Capitalism
  • Political economy theory
  • Institutional/ forced dependency
  • Reserve army of labour/.
42
Q

Feminism: Arber and Ginn:

A

Observe that older women face inequalities created by patriarchy that older men don’t face.

43
Q

Itzin:

A
  • Claims that order women are often doubly devalued by society because their status devalued after the menopause and after retirement.
  • Women face great patriarchal pressure to resist the physical signs of ageing and invest in ‘cosmeticisation’.
44
Q

Opposition to the feminist explanations for age inequality:

A
  • They blame patriarchy, and forget other factors such as poverty.
  • They make the mistake that the experiences of girls and women are universally the same. Wealth and social class can mitigate the effect of patriarchy.
  • Feminist may under-rate the pressure men feel to commercial, which suggests that this is a commercial profit driven process rather than being an aspect of patriarchy.
  • Social action: Women choose to cosmeticise, rather than being forced to do so solely by the stigma of getting old.
45
Q

Social Action Theories: Weber’s (1864-1920):

A

Was a disciple for Marx, Argued that in order to understand someone’s social position and the complex nature of inequality.

  • Class
  • Party
  • Status
46
Q

Weberian Theory:

A
  • Weber saw age as an important source of status.
  • Ageism whether aimed at the young or the elderly is a reflection of the lack of status experience by both groups and their poor market position.
  • The elderly are seen to lack the technological skills for the workplace.
47
Q

Weberian Theory: Retirement:

A

Involves a lack of status, although the upper classes like the Queen retain their status as powerful individuals, because their status is seen as more important than their occupational status.

48
Q

Weberian Theory: Parkin:

A

Argues that some ethnic minorities suffer in negatively privileged status groups, seeing both racism and ageism functioning to socially segregate low status groups.

49
Q

Weberian Theory: Turner:

A

Argued that both the elderly and the young have low status because they lack the material resources required to attract status and consequently are dependent upon others.

50
Q

Ashton Applewhite:

A

If we diminish our regard for the senior members of our society verbally, we are likely to do the same when it comes to the way we frame policy, removing their dignity and sense of agency in condescending generalisations that assume vulnerability and dependence instead of resilience an independence.

51
Q

Interationists: Labelling Theory:

A
  • Questions the social construction of inequality.
  • Negative labelling and stigmatisation of both elderly and the young by the media create a self-fulfilling prophecy.
  • Victor 1994, if the elderly are labelled as useless, lonely, dependent and unable yo learn then it is common for the stereotypes to become a reality.
52
Q

Postmodernist Theory:

A
  • The disparity of experience of elderly.
  • Others refuse that old age is a time of inequality.
    -Highlights advantages of ageing in modern world.
    -
53
Q

Laczko and Phillipson 19991:

A

Found that the inequality faced by the edlerly was due to wealth not ageing.

54
Q

Featherstone and Hepworth 1993:

A

Argued that traditional explanations of age inequality focused too much on imaginary boundaries of age.

55
Q

Powell and Biggs 2000:

A

Individuals are able to recreate themselves through wealth e.g. cosmetic surgery.

Sociology (24 decks)

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