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Functionalism vs conflict theory
University assignment about age discrimination
Functionalism vs conflict theory
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Sociological Perspectives and Aging Prominent musician, Celine Dion, once said, “There’s no such thing is aging, but maturing and knowledge. It’s beautiful, I call that beauty.” To many, growing old is just a natural, beautiful part of life. It is inevitable. It is inescapable. The functionalist perspective of sociology states that the elderly perform a function in order to keep society running with ease. Functionalists focus on the disengagement theory and how people tend to disengage from society as they approach death. Symbolic interactionists focus on how environmental factors and relationships with others affect the aging experience, focusing on the activity theory and the continuity theory (Carl, 2011, p. 220). Conflict theorists focus on the discrepancies that arise between different age groups. They also focus on the economical side of aging and the issues that may arise due to an active elderly population (Carl, 2011, p. 221). Functionalists study the roles that people play in a society. In regards to aging, the elderly play an important part in the function of …show more content…
society. As people age, they begin to disengage from their occupation and seek retirement. In actuality, they prepare for the bitter truth that death is approaching. This idea is known as the disengagement theory and it states that as a person ages, he or she begins to limit interaction between the younger generations. Older people begin to withdraw from society; this process is not only unavoidable, but it is also normal, and acceptable (Carl, 2011, p. 220). Disengaging from society is a role that the elderly play in order to keep things running smoothly. By retiring, people begin to acknowledge that they are approaching death and because death disrupts many social functions, retirement allows for the younger population to keep society functioning. For example, say a company must let go of one worker and must choose between a seasoned, elderly worker and a fresh-faced young worker. A functionalist would say that the older worker would be let go in order to keep society moving forward (Carl, 2011, p. 220). In essence, the disengagement theory can be put simply as “out with the old and in with the new”. Apart from the functionalist viewpoint, symbolic interactionists believe that the elderly are hesitant to leave their normal lifestyle and engage in retirement. Aging caries with in many negative connotations, even though recent studies have shown that, with age, the mind grows sharper at performing many important tasks (Fields, 2012). Because symbolic interactionism is the study of the development of self through interactions, according to this perspective, successful aging is the opposite of the disengagement theory. The development of self is a timeless process and therefore social interactions are continually important, regardless of age (Carl, 2011, p. 221). Although the aging population is not embraced by society, it is important for these people to stay active by discovering new interests, finding new hobbies, and creating new relationships. This process is known as the activity theory and it is essential for satisfaction in life (Carl, 2011, p. 221). The continuity theory elaborates upon the ideas of the activity theory by suggesting that it is important for the aging population to maintain the same level of engagement and continuing previous roles of earlier life. Finally, conflict theorists focus on certain influences on aging such as power and economic forces (Carl, 2011, p.
221). Conflict theorists focus on the issues that divide the young from the old such as ageism. Society does not embrace the elderly population, which results in a constant battle against stereotypes, ageism and fighting to maintain equal standing in the workplace (Dittman, 2003). In an occupation, elderly workers are seen as washed up and worthless. Competition amongst workers can therefore lead to ageism and the dismissal of the elderly (Carl, 2011, p. 222). Conflict theorists focus on the economical side of aging and therefore focus on profit. In a capitalist society, the elderly are seen as incompetent and less productive; because productivity is tied to profit, these people are consequently removed from their positions. This causes segregation amongst society’s age
groups. In conclusion, the elderly population is definitely a major part of society. Whether they disengage from their normal lifestyle and retire, or continue to be actively involved, the aging population is nevertheless a key group of people. Time is fleeting and everyone grows older. Recognizing the significance of aging and its impact on society is what is important.
Aging and old age for a long time presented as dominated by negative traits and states such as sickness, depression and isolation. The aging process is not simply senescence most people over the age of 65 are not Senile, bedridden, isolated, or suicidal (Aldwin & Levenson, 1994). This change in perspective led the investigation of the other side of the coin. Ageing is seen as health, maturity and personal Royal growth, self-acceptance, happiness, generatively, coping and acceptance of age-related constraints (Birren & Fisher, 1995). Psychological und...
Hiller, S. M., & Barrow, G. M. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society. (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Atchley, R. C., Barusch, A. S. (2004). Social Forces & Aging: An Introduction to Social Gerontology. (10th
Extensive demographic and cultural shifts have taken place over the past few decades that have made late adolescence and early twenties into a new transitional developmental period known as emerging adulthood for young individuals across industrialized societies. Arnett (2000) argues that emerging adulthood is a “distinct period of the life course” that is “characterized by change and exploration of possible life directions” (469). Additionally, a critical area of identity exploration during emerging adulthood is love and romantic relationships. Arnett contends that “demographic changes in the timing of marriage and parenthood in recent decades has led to prolonged periods of adolescence and delayed adulthood transitions” (470). By postponing
Older adults are a very knowledgeable population and have had a lot of life experiences. As people age, things start to change physically, mentally, and socially. It’s important to understand the process of aging, so that older adults can be taken care of properly. I interviewed P.R. who is a 71-year-old male that lives alone in his home. P.R. is a retired coal miner, and is currently living off his social security and savings. He lives close to both his daughter and son, who frequently help him out with things that are needed. P.R. was able to give me a lot of insight about specific challenges that he has experienced in his life that is associated with aging. I will be discussing challenges that P.R experienced physically, mentally,
Also known as the implicit theory of aging, the activity theory states that staying active and maintaining social interactions results in successful aging. Essentially, aging can be delayed and the quality of life improved if people maintain active social lives. In other words, there is a positive correlation between keeping active and aging well. Supporters of this theory believe that isolating oneself from society creates a barrier between the “real” world and suppresses one’s energy and former youth. First developed by Robert J. Havighurst in 1961, this theory reflects the functionalist perspective that the equilibrium that an individual develops in middle age should be maintained in later years. The theory predicts that older adults that face role loss will substitute former roles with other alternatives.
Adults entering the midlife years (middle adulthood) are experiencing an overabundance of life changes. Hall, Hernandez, Wong, and Justice (2015) stated that, during middle adulthood important changes occur across the physical, cognitive, and social domains of development. There is a mounting amount of research on the changes that middle-aged adults experience. One of the most unexplored factor that middle-aged adults experience is Ageism. Ageism can be defined as the act of being prejudice or discriminative towards a specific age group. Although, Ageism can occur at any given place and in any age group. Research shows that it is more prevalent in older adults,
Some critics have argued that disengagement theory may have accurately characterized the behavior of the older population in the 1950s, but that it was a mistake to infer that this pattern was universal. According to these critics, activity theory or continuity theory might well be a better description of how older people actually live today. If the critics’ view is correct, does it mean that any theories of aging simply express the way aging appears at a certain time in history? If so, how would it be possible to develop an account that is more general and not limited to a certain time and place?
As the years pass and we began to age we all notice a change and this change that comes is not the apparent physical change but rather the attitudes and personification people have as we enter our old age. It seems as though, as we begin to age we notice that a sense of respect begins to build from the younger generation. According to the book “social perspectives on aging, “ it states that ‘today most social gerontologists prefer activity theory, which assumes that older people benefit both themselves and their society if they remain active and try to continue to perform the roles they had before they aged.” In other words the elderly are benefiting from what they built on their own over their lifetime and they are also benefiting from society
Ageism is a term that has been coined by Butler (1969), which he described through three distinguishable yet interrelated factors. Firstly, Butler reported that ageism is a prejudicial attitude towards people who are ageing which includes the elderly themselves. Secondly, these attitude can then translate to discriminatory practices against the elderly, in area of social participation including access to safe housing. Lastly, ageism can also seep through to institutional practices and policies, which often without malice, perpetuate stereotypical beliefs about the elder, which results in reduction of opportunities for the elder people to enjoy a satisfactory life and subsequently undermines their personal dignity (Duffy, 2016). Furthermore, according to the Human Rights Commission, Ageism is entrenched
Aging and being old was dominated by negative characteristics and conditions such as illness, depression, and isolation for a long time (Eibach, Mock, & Courtney, 2010). At first glance the terms “success” and “aging” seem to be in conflict to each other. When asking people about aging, their answers have many facets that are also found in psychological definitions: successful aging is seen as health, maturity and personal growth, self-acceptance, happiness, generativity, coping, and acceptance of age-related limitations. In the psychological sense successful aging is also often seen as the absence of age-associated characteristics (Strawbridge, Wallhagen, & Cohen, 2002). It seems that successful aging means is not aging.
Laufer, Robert S., and Vern L. Bengston. "Generations, Aging, and social stratification." Journal of Social Issues 30.3 (2010): 181-205. Web. 16 Feb. 2012.
When you consider ageism, you think about people being labeled as other 's sees fit. It 's just another term to judge or deny people of their humanity. When you think about people in their late adulthood what comes to mind? Some may think about gray hair, saggy skin, dentures, and a wheelchair. So my question is why? According to (Palmore, 2005, p. 90) “Ageism is a social disease, much like racism and sexism” in that it considers people as part of a category and not as individuals, creating “needless fear, waste, illness, and misery.” The more people grow and develop, they will learn that aging must go on.
In a short while we will hear our keynote speaker Professor Alfred Chan present his study and findings on the state of Ageism in Hong Kong. The question we want to ask is how much does ageism exist here in our workplaces that unwittingly undermine or devalue older workers. Can we continue to empower our older workers to be valued contributors to the organization and as an engine for our national development?
Tepper, L. M., & Cassidy, T. M. (2004). Multidisciplinary perspectives on aging. New York: Springer Pub. Co.