AGE STRATIFICATION (CHAPTER 12)

LIKE RACE/GENDER, AGING IS A SOCIAL CONCEPT AS WELL AS A BIOLOGICAL ONE

The text reminds us that age is an ASCRIBED status that dominates people's
perceptions of us, shapes our identity, and becomes a magnate for labels,
stereotypes, and often enough, stigma.

CHRONOLOGICAL AGE: Age based on date of birth

FUNCTIONAL AGE: Observable individual attributes such as physical
appearance, mobility strength, coordination, and mental capacity used
to assign people to age categories

CONCEPTUAL AGE: One's identity, cultural location, and how perceived by
others

POINT: Age is complex     

"GREYING OF AMERICA:" Between 1980-2000:
  --The fastest growing segment of the population was 40-44 (91 pct increase)
  --Second fasted: 85+ (86 pct increase)
  --The 15-29 category shrank by nearly 10 pct
  --Currently 1/2 of the labor force in the US is over 40

The text points out how social changes (eg, transition from horticultural
to industrial societies) lead to changes in life span.

Consider:
   --If you were born in 1900, your life expectancy: under 50 (48.5;   
     Blacks about 33)
   --today: Whites: Males=75; Females-80; Black; M =69, F=76
   (See: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus04trend.pdf#027

LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH (CDC DATA):
--Top three: Heart disease, cancer, strokes.
--accidents are 5th, homicide 13th.

===

HOW IS THIS TIED TO STRATIFICATION??
The five basic properties of a minority or subordinate group apply here,
and for aging, we learn: 

   1) The elderly experience unequal treatment in employment and may
      face prejudice and discrimination
   2) The elderly share physical characteristics that distinguish
      them from others
   3) Membership is involuntary
   4) Older people have a strong sense of group solidarity
   5) Older people generally married to others of the same age

THEORIES OF AGING:

=================================================================
THEORY             VIEW OF AGING         SOCIAL ROLES     IMAGES OF OLD FOLK

Functionalist      Disengagement         Reduced          Socially isolated

Interationist      Active engagement     Changed          Involved

Conflict           Competition           Unchanged        Victimized/
                                                          Reduced power

  DISENGAGEMENT THEORY--INEVITABILITY OF DEATH REQUIRES THAT WE
WITHDRAW FROM MANY OF OUR ACTIVITIES (IE,  DISENGAGE)  AND THE
FUNCTIONS TAKEN OVER BY YOUNGER  PERSONS.   AT THE SAME TIME,
SOCIETY WITHDRAWS FROM THE ELDERLY.

EXPLAIN ENGAGEMENT/REENGAGEMENT ETC

INTERACTIONIST THEORY:
  ACTIVITY THEORY---PEOPLE WHO  REMAIN ACTIVE  WILL BE  BETTER ADJUSTED
  (SUBSTITUTE  FORMER  ACTIVITIES WITH  NEW  ONES)

SUBSTITUTION THEORY: ANOTHER NAME FOR ACTIVITY THEORY

CONFLICT PERSPECTIVES

   They look at social strcutre on patterns of aging and ask: "Why 
   must certain patterns of interaction change with aging?

   How does power and privilege (and other power advantages) shape
   aging?

NOTE: THese 3 theories take different views of the elderly.
   a) Functionalists: Elderly portrayed as socially isolated with
      reduced roles;

   b) Interactionists see older people as involved in new networks
      as roles change;

   c) Conflict theories tend to focus on victimization

ROLE TRANSITIONS OVER THE LIFE COURSE

   Transitional perions begin at about 17 to 22 (entering the adult world);
   SECOND period begins about age 40 (for males, "midlife crisis") 
   THIRD: Late life transition (mortality)
   
DISCUSS:

   1) GENERATION GAP 
   2) LABOR FORCE COMPETITION 
   3) AGE SEGREGATION 
   4) ELDER ABUSE WHAT ARE STEREOTYPES OF ELDERLY??

SOCIAL POLICY:
  A) RETIREMENT CHANGES
  B) LAWS PROTECTING THEM 
  C) ACTIVITIES FOR THEM
  D) ETC

DYING:

  ELISABETH KUBLER-ROSS:
    A) DENIAL
    B) ANGER
    C) BARGAIN
    D) DEPRESSION
    E) ACCEPTANCE

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