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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…
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
Hiller, S. M., & Barrow, G. M. (2011). Aging, the individual, and society. (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Aging is a phenomena we are all familiar with, a trait characteristic of all humankind, in fact, of all living organisms. What are the effects of aging, especially those which go beyond the biological aspects and effect the social aspects of changing roles, seniority, and treatment of the aged? What was the original human condition before high-tech medical interventions redefined death and dying, before the industrial age changed the nature of the nuclear and extended family? Going back still farther, what can the behavior of chimpanzees tell us about the origins of our responses to the aging of those around us?
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,
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...
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
Atchley, R. C., Barusch, A. S. (2004). Social Forces & Aging: An Introduction to Social Gerontology. (10th
..., Stephen. "Growing older without aging? Positive aging, anti-ageism, and anti-aging." Generations 25.4 (2002): 27-32. Print.
Ageism stereotypes permit people in society to engage in negative behaviors towards the late adulthood population. Ageism occurs throughout America and seems to be considered an almost ignored method of abuse. According to Nelson, (2005) attitudes toward older people began to shift dramatically with two major developments in civilization (p. 208). The major developments Nelson referred to are the invention of the printing press and the industrial revolution. The elderly population lost social status because historical events were now able to be printed and documented more easily. The need...
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?
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.
Sociology is distinguished by the study of sociology theories, which play a significant key role in enabling us to analyze different societies. Sociology theories give us different outlooks different perspectives within factors of different societies that can be analyzed. This will make it easier for someone to understand and predict social behavior and happenings within societies that offer great importance to our generation. This author will focus on sociologist concepts that are related to the videos for our assignments and factors that have been put into consideration including: aging, discrimination and social theories with an increase in the size of the older population in relation to the younger generation. These videos in relating to aging, discrimination and social satisfaction I am going to analyze the findings that were a result in which will give an analytical detail of aging.
Tepper, L. M., & Cassidy, T. M. (2004). Multidisciplinary perspectives on aging. New York: Springer Pub. Co.