Unit 1 - Section A: Concept of identity

Question 1

What is age identity?

Answer 1

• Refers to chronological order.
• Refers to life stages - youth, middle, old - at each stage, adopt different roles and statuses.
• E.g. 1 - Youth - associated with those aged 12-21, share traditional stage of life (puberty)
• E.g. 2 - Middle age - stage of career and family where people are often responsible for children and older members of family (dual burden - Brannen)

Question 2

What is social class identity?

Answer 2

• Refers to the stratified division of society based on class into hierarchy ordered layers.
• Refers to three main categories of working, middle and upper class.
• E.g. 1 - upper class who have high social capital through socialisation in Opera and invite only events.
• E.g. 2 - middle class who
  operate conspicuous consumption such as buying things to boost status (BMW, Conservatories)

Question 3

What is the medical model?

Answer 3

Sees disability as a medical problem, focusing on limitations caused by impairment. This leads to victim blaming mentality where the problem lies with the disabled individual rather than with a society that has not yet met their needs.

• e.g. Wheelchair user - few solutions to help which leads to exclusion
  e. g. Visual impairment few solutions.

Question 4

What is the social model?

Answer 4

Focuses on social and physical barriers to inclusion that may exist, such as the design of buildings and public spaces that deny access to those with mobility problems or discriminatory attitudes and practices against those with disabilities.

e. g. Wheelchair user - ramp needs to be placed.
e. g. visual impairment allows full text audio recordings available.