Gerontology and Ageing
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Questions and Answers

Who initially advanced the bio-social-psycho model for understanding ageing?

Engel

What distinguishes the bio-psycho-social model from the biomedical model of ageing?

  • Focus on disease and decline
  • Emphasis on contextual factors
  • Integration of mental and physical health (correct)
  • All of the above

    • Longevity refers to the period between birth and death.

    False

    What is gerontology?

    <p>Gerontology is the science concerned with the study of ageing, including later life, old age, and older people.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who first used the term 'gerontology'?

    <p>Metchnikoff</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Physiological changes attributed to ageing may be influenced by ______ factors such as sun exposure and smoking.

    <p>lifestyle</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Gerontology only focuses on biological aspects of ageing.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one example of a demographic factor related to ageing mentioned in the text? The idealized population pyramid for Great Britain in 1990 shows a ______ structure.

    <p>pyramid</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most commonly used measure to define old age?

    <p>Chronological age</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The lifecycle concept is perceived as a simple universal progression from one well-defined set of social roles to another.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What perspective on the study of ageing does the book in the text focus on?

    <p>Social</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Neugarten, the lifecycle has become increasingly differentiated into smaller segments including '______', 'pre-school', and 'middle age', in addition to childhood which emerged during industrialization in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries as a specific phase of life.

    <p>adolescence</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the primary focus of social policy as indicated by the post-war welfare state?

    <p>towards the young</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the post-war Royal Commission on Population (1948) observe about the old?

    <p>They consume without producing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Older people have not been recognized for their past and current contributions to society.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Ideas of intergenerational conflict first arose in the 1960s when the youthful 'baby boomers' challenged many of the then current social norms and the established social order. This conflict pertained to the aims of _ and _.

    <p>young; old</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the social theories of ageing with their characteristics:

    <p>Functionalist theories = Focus on social order, equilibrium, and status quo Psychological and physiological perspectives = Focus on individual changes Sociological perspectives = Focus on social context for groups and individuals</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Disengagement theory, what is seen as functional or useful in the process of aging?

    <p>Reduced commitment to social mores and values</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Disengagement theory, retirement is viewed as a mechanism to facilitate a smooth transfer of power from the young to the old.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the central assumption of Activity theory regarding successful aging?

    <p>Activity and engagement offer the path to successful aging.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Disengagement theory, successful aging implies a reduction in activity levels and a decrease in involvement until the individual withdraws from all previous activities and becomes preoccupied with the ultimate withdrawal of ________.

    <p>death</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the theoretical perspectives on the study of aging with their key concepts:

    <p>Disengagement theory = Reduction in activity levels and withdrawal from roles and social activities for successful aging Activity theory = Preservation of attitudes and activities of middle age for successful aging</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What paradigm did Riley et al. develop to address the static nature of age stratification?

    <p>Ageing and Society paradigm</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Cowgill and Holmes (1972), what led to an ageing of the population?

    <p>Improvements in health care</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In modern society, older people are thought to be better off than in pre-industrial society.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The ___________ theory emphasises the continuity of inequalities into later life.

    <p>structured dependency</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following theories with their respective characteristics:

    <p>Conflict theory = Stresses discord and conflict, conceptualizes opposing views within society Political economy = Concerned with the interaction between the state, economy, and socially defined groups Structured dependency = Emphasizes the continuity of inequalities from earlier phases of life into old age</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What theory suggests that individuals will attempt to maintain stability in their lifestyle as they grow older?

    <p>Continuity theory</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which theory asserts that successful aging can involve adaptations in various directions?

    <p>Continuity theory</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In social role theory, roles are conceptualized in the Parsonian sense and defined in terms of social expectations.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to age stratification theory, each age group can be analyzed in terms of the roles that members of that group play within society and how these are _________.

    <p>valued</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the three major factors that need to be considered in establishing the utility of any gerontological theories?

    <p>Explain current events, predict future events, generate new theoretical insights</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Old age as a social problem framework operates at which levels of analysis?

    <p>Both microlevel and macrolevel</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Research within the 'old age as a social problem' perspective primarily focuses on portraying positive aspects of aging.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is at the heart of structured dependency in gerontology?

    <p>Focus upon the full integration of older people into society</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are some drawbacks of the structured dependency approach according to Gilleard and Higgs (2000)?

    <p>Homogenization of older people</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Structured dependency theory adequately addresses gender issues related to old age.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Phillipson (1998) propose in response to the lack of attention given to class and gender in structured dependency theory?

    <p>Creation of 'critical gerontology'</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Estes (2001) incorporate into the analytical framework related to ageing?

    <p>All of the above</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    The Social Context of Ageing

    • Gerontology is a multi-disciplinary science that studies ageing, integrating biological, psychological, and social aspects.

    The Study of Ageing

    • Gerontology is a relatively young science, with the term "gerontology" first used by Russian biologist Metchnikoff in 1908.
    • Interest in old age and older people has existed for thousands of years.
    • The oldest reported lifespan is that of Methuselah, who is supposed to have lived for 969 years, while the longest verifiable lifespan was that of Jeanne Calment, who died in 1997, aged 126.

    Perspectives on Ageing

    • There are three main perspectives on ageing: biological, psychological, and social.
    • Gerontology is a multidisciplinary field that integrates these perspectives to understand ageing and later life.

    The Biological Perspective

    • The biological approach to ageing focuses on how the passage of time affects physiological systems.
    • The biological perspective is concerned with understanding the physical changes that occur with ageing, such as wrinkles and grey hair.
    • The key question is whether these changes are a result of ageing or growing older, or whether they are influenced by social and environmental factors.
    • Biologists are interested in longevity, life span, and life expectancy.
    • The biological definition of ageing is based on Strehler's (1962) criteria: universality, internality, progressiveness, and harmfulness.
    • Error-based theories of ageing propose that ageing results from the development and replication of errors within the physiological system.
    • Programming theories of ageing hypothesize that ageing and the maximal life span are programmed into the genes of an organism.

    The Psychological Perspective

    • The psychological approach to ageing focuses on examining personality, mental function, and notions of self and identity.
    • The psychological perspective is concerned with understanding differences in behaviour between individuals and changes within individuals with the passage of time.
    • This area of research includes topics such as cognitive function, health psychology, mental illness, and personality and adjustment.

    The Social Perspective

    • The social perspective on ageing is concerned with understanding the social and environmental context of ageing.
    • The social perspective focuses on the diversity of ageing and older people, and the different factors that are important to experiences of old age and ageing.
    • The social perspective is critical of the biomedical model, which is often negative, decline, and loss-oriented.

    Key Concepts

    • Ageing: the process of growing older, characterized by physical, psychological, and social changes.

    • Age: a measure of the passage of time, often used to define stages of life.

    • Life expectancy: the average number of years remaining to a person of a specific age.

    • Life span: the period between birth and death.

    • Longevity: the maximum lifespan that a species could attain under optimal conditions.

    • Senescence: the process of ageing, characterized by decreases in the efficient functioning of an organism.### The Social Perspective on Ageing

    • The focus of social gerontology has been on adjustment to loss rather than self-development in later life.

    • The sociology of ageing uses sociological perspectives to understand ageing.

    • Social gerontology is a broader discipline that incorporates multiple social science perspectives to achieve a better understanding of ageing and old age.

    • The discipline has three distinct perspectives: individual, social, and societal, at two levels of analysis: microscale and macroscale.

    • The microscale approach examines ageing as an individual experience, investigating topics like changes in perceived age identity.

    • The social approach examines the social context that defines ageing and seeks to understand the position of older people within society.

    • The societal perspective is concerned with the demographic, structural, cultural, and economic transformation resulting from the increase in the number and proportion of older people in society.

    Defining Old Age

    • There is no readily agreed biological definition of ageing or the onset of old age.
    • The physiological manifestations of biological ageing occur at different rates in different people, making it difficult to define old age.
    • Chronological age is often used to define old age, but it is a rough guide to the ageing of the individual in biological terms.
    • The interpretation and meaning of specific chronological ages vary historically and culturally.
    • Another approach to defining old age is through the lifecycle or life stage, but this is a complex concept and difficult to operationalise.

    Theoretical Perspectives on Ageing

    • Social gerontology is a multidisciplinary enterprise that includes the social sciences and arts and humanities in the study of the social context of ageing.
    • The development of theory within gerontology remains limited, with many studies focusing on describing aspects of behaviour in later life rather than understanding and theorising.
    • The focus of much social gerontological research is on identifying, classifying, and describing the experience of later life, rather than understanding and theorising.
    • There is a need to enhance the theoretical bedrock of social gerontology, as theory is important for explaining and understanding the social world of older people.

    Evaluating Theoretical Perspectives

    • In evaluating theoretical perspectives on ageing, it is essential to establish the level at which the theoretical proposition is operating: micro or macro.
    • The distinction between micro and macro perspectives is not clear-cut, but rather a continuum.
    • Theoretical propositions should be able to explain current events, predict future events, and generate new theoretical insights.
    • The assumptions and ideologies that underpin the various theoretical positions should be considered.

    Old Age as a Social Problem

    • The consideration of old age and later life as a social problem is a framework that has consistently informed social gerontological research in Britain.

    • This framework focuses on the problematic nature of ageing, both for individuals and societies.

    • The definition of which aspects of ageing are defined as 'problematic' is crucial, and who defines these problems is an issue of power and ownership.

    • This approach is concerned with the problematic and difficult aspects of ageing, yielding little evidence on the 'non-problematic' or 'normal' aspects of ageing.### The Emergence of Older People as a Specific Problem Group

    • In the late 19th century, older people in Britain emerged as a specific problem group, requiring specific social policies.

    • Prior to this, older people were not differentiated from the rest of the pauper classes, and old age was not seen as a social problem.

    • Demographic changes are not a sufficient explanation for the emergence of older people as a problem group, as the major period of growth in the absolute and relative number of older people did not occur until the early 20th century.

    • Three interrelated factors contributed to the recognition of older people as a problem group: a growing awareness of the complexity of poverty, the difficulties of older workers remaining in the labour force, and the concentration of older people in rural areas.

    The 'Old Age as a Social Problem' Perspective

    • There are two distinct forms of the 'old age as a social problem' perspective: the humanitarian and the organisational.
    • The humanitarian perspective focuses on the problems of old age and ageing for the individual, while the organisational perspective is concerned with the problems of an ageing population for society.
    • The humanitarian perspective has a long and honourable pedigree in British academic research, and has concentrated on describing the circumstances of the poorest and most disadvantaged sections of the community.
    • Examples of this tradition include the work of Mayhew, Booth, and Rowntree, as well as more recent studies such as Tunstall's work on loneliness and isolation and Townsend's work on residential homes and the social world of older people.

    The Limitations of the 'Old Age as a Social Problem' Perspective

    • The 'old age as a social problem' perspective has contributed to the perpetuation of negative stereotypes of older people and has not looked at the positive aspects of ageing.
    • The perspective often focuses on the negative aspects of ageing, such as morbidity, quality of life, and social relationships, and has not considered the contributions made by older people.
    • The perspective has also been used to justify the notion that older people are a burden to society, and has been used to argue for the reduction of welfare benefits and the promotion of 'self-sufficiency' in old age.

    Theories of Ageing

    • Theories of ageing can be categorised as either micro or macro level, and either interpretist or normative.
    • Theories of ageing include functionalist theories, such as disengagement, activity, and continuity theories, as well as age stratification theories.
    • Functionalist theories view society as a system of interrelated parts, and are concerned with understanding how these parts function to maintain social order.
    • Critiques of functionalism argue that it is a conservative approach that prioritises social order and maintenance of the status quo, and does not allow for individual agency or change.

    The Influence of Functionalism on Gerontological Thinking

    • Functionalism has been highly influential in the development of theoretical frameworks in social gerontology.
    • Theories that have developed from functionalism, such as disengagement, activity, and continuity theories, have been used to explain the social context of ageing.
    • The emphasis on social order and the maintenance of the status quo has led to a focus on personal and social adjustment to old age, changes in social roles, and life satisfaction.

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    Description

    This quiz covers the basics of gerontology, including the bio-psycho-social model, longevity, and physiological changes attributed to ageing. Understand the differences between the biomedical and bio-psycho-social models and the factors that influence ageing.

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