THEORIES IN GERONTOLOGY: EARLY THEORIES

Dr. M. C. Sengstock SOC 5760 Society & Aging

5 PHASES OF THEORY IN GERONTOLOGY

1. Pre 1960: Problems Approach; No Theories 2. 1960s: Early Theory:
Disengagement Activity Subculture of Aging

3. 1970s: 2nd Generation Theories

Age Stratification Personality Continuity

4. 1980s & Later: Emergent Theories

Focus on Contextual & Structural Arrangements

5. More Recent Theories:

Greater Focus on Theories from Individual Disciplines
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SOCIAL THEORIES OF AGING: WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THEORY?

Organize What Is Known About a Topic Propose Explanations for Data Observed Suggest Hypotheses Predict Future Findings

EARLY THEORIES IN GERONTOLOGY

Focused On Role Theory (Applicable to Nearly Everything!) ROLE: The Activities Required by Statuses (Social Positions) COMPONENTS: Role Expectations (Norms), Role Socialization, Role Changes, Role Discontinuity (Esp. in Times of Transition) Early Gerontology Theory Focused on the Way Roles Were Assigned & Developed Also on the Way They Had to Change As People Reached Old Age
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DISENGAGEMENT THEORY
Cummings & Henry, 1961 Kansas City Study of 275 Persons 50-90 Yrs Old NOTE: Discussion in Text (Hooyman & Kiyak) Is Rather Sterile Disengagement Very Influential At That Time Was the Basis of Much Social Policy Focused Primarily On LOSS of ROLES As People Grew Old
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TENETS OF DISENGAGEMENT
Old Age Is Period of Mutual Withdrawal Aged Withdraw From Society & Reverse From Work, Family, Friends, All Institutions MUTUAL Separation From PEOPLE & ROLES Society Pushes Them Out
Get Rid of Them & Make Room For Young

Aged WANT to Withdraw

They Know They Are Less Able & Face Imminent Death
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DISENGAGEMENT (ctd)
NORMATIVE Withdrawal Accompanies & Follows Actual Withdrawal As Elderly Become Separated From Society, They Are Less Controlled By It They Follow Their Own Rules They Become Even More Separated This is What Is Meant By DISENGAGED Gerotranscendance Theory: Old Focus More on Self-Development Than Rational, Economical View of the World
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CONSEQUENCES OF DISENGAGEMENT
Poor Adjustment to Old Age May Occur Due to LACK OF SYNCHRONIZATION Between Societys & Individuals Disengagement One Side Usually the Individual Is Behind the Other in Withdrawing Reengagement Occurs If New Skills Learned Low Morale Occurs if Pattern Does Not Fit Mens Disengagement More Sudden: Work Roles Cease More Suddenly Than Womens Home Roles
- Remember: This is the 60s Women Didnt Work
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DISENGAGEMENT: RECOMMENDATIONS & CRITIQUE

Solution To Old Age Problems: Encourage Aged to Withdraw CRITICISMS: Theory Suggests: Withdrawal Is Inevitable Withdrawal Is Functional for Both Fails to Consider Individual Personal Factors of Aged Persons All Elderly Do NOT Want To Withdraw Nor Do Their Families & Friends Want Them To
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CUMMINGS & HENRYS RESPONSE

Distinguished Between Appearance & Reality Old People Are Really Disengaged Even If They Dont Look Like It Recognized Physical/Psychological Differences Impingers (Activist, Assertive People) Disengage Slower Than Selectors (Passive) Women Socialized to Change Roles Easier Than Men So They Adapt Better
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CUMMINGS & HENRY RESPONSE (ctd)

Disengagement Is Part of Increasing Interiority Emphasis on Self vs. Other This Occurs Throughout Life Some People Are More Disposed to Interiority (Introverts) They Will Disengage Faster Than Extroverts This Leads to a More Developmental Psych Approach Moving Through Life Stages
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ACTIVITY PERSPECTIVE
Havighurst & Albrecht, 1953; Maddox, 1970 Not Developed Enough For a Real Theory Also Focused on ROLE LOSS of Old Age Attempted to Turn It Around 4 Essential Postulates:
Role Loss Is Related to Loss of Activity Role Support Is Related to Activity Stable Role Support Produces Stable Self Concept Positive Self Concept Produces Life Satisfaction
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ACTIVITY PERSPECTIVE (ctd)

Activities Are Parts of Roles Activities Increase Through Child & Adult Life Individuals Self Concept Receives Validation Through Successful Activity Performance With Old Age Activities Decrease To Maintain High Morale New Activities Must Be Adopted

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COMPARING THE THEORIES

DISENGAGEMENT THEORY: Old Must Learn to GIVE UP Roles, Activities
ACTIVITIES THEORY: Old Must Learn to DEVELOP New Roles, Activities

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CONSEQUENCES OF ACTIVITY THEORY

Suggests Disengagement Occurs Only for the Very Old For Most Older People, Increased Activity Is Necessary for High Morale Suggested That Activities Should Be Created for Older People to Provide Them New Things to Do & Lead to Higher Morale

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CRITICISM OF ACTIVITY THEORY

Does Not Deal With Social Value of Activities Will Any Old, Meaningless, Time-Consuming Activities Do? Many Activities Were Meaningless (Nursing Homes Made Bread Wrapper Placemats) May Have a Middle Class Bias: Assumes Everyone Must Always Do Something Useful Importance of Leisure Old People May Have a Right & Desire for Leisure!
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SUBCULTURE OF AGING THEORY

Sociological Theory (A.Rose, 1965; J.Gubrium) NOTE: Subculture Does NOT Refer to a Less Valuable Culture It Refers to a Culture Practiced By A Smaller Segment Than the Population As a Whole Sees Close Relationship Between: Roles Social Identity Self Concept

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SUBCULTURE OF AGING (ctd)

A Distinctive AGED SUBCULTURE Develops: Aged Interact More With Each Other Than Younger People Demographic Changes Produced Many Old Older People Are Targets of Discrimination Older People Live Together in Aged Ghettos Social Agencies Serving Elderly Promote It! EX of Aged Subcultures:
FL Retirement Communities: Juvenile-Style Crime Mesa, AZ Laws Against Children, Schools 55 Yr Olds Aspiring to Retirement Community Living
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PARTICIPATION IN AGED SUBCULTURE

An Aged Persons Participation in the Aged Subculture Is Dependent Upon: Solidarity of the Age Group Number of Aged Organizations, Their Strength Number of Aged IN vs. NOT in Aged Groups
I.e., Who Associate More With Family, Friends Are More Isolated From the Aged Community

SUM: Elderly In Retirement Communities Part of Aged Subculture Those in General Communities Probably NOT
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AGED SUBCULTURE: SUMMARY & CRITIQUE

SUM: There Will Be An Aged Subculture If Most Elderly Spend Most of Their Time With Old People & Little Time With Younger People (Family, Neighborhood, Church, Work) QUESTIONS: Is There Really An Aged Subculture? Does It Apply to All Aged? Which Is Better: Strong Aged Subculture? Or Weak One?
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AGE STEROTYPING
Concept Related to Aged Subculture Theory Over-Simplified Generalizations About Aged Often Accepted By Young, Middle-Aged Often Accepted By Old As Well EX: Old-Fashioned; Fussy; Forgetful; Senile; Crotchety; Demanding; Asexual; Radically Different From Younger Persons; Men Upset By Retirement; Women By Children Leaving
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CONSEQUENCES OF STEREOTYPES
Complaints By Elderly Are Often Dismissed As Results of Normal Aging or Examples of Old People Constantly Complaining Are Stereotypes Accurate? For Whom? Who Fares Best? Wealthy: Comfortable: Age a Pleasant Surprise Poor: Aging Is As Portrayed: Little Money, Poor Health, Left Out of Things
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IMPACT OF METHODOLOGY
These Theories Probably Resulted From Methodological Patterns Early Research Done on Institutionalized Aged Easy to Access for Study Subjects Different From Community Dwelling Aged Who Are NOT Separated From Community As a Whole Who Interact a Lot With Younger People
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AGE STRATIFICATION THEORY

A 2nd GENERATION THEORY Shifted Attention from the Individual Roles Approach Focused More on Broader Social Structure Sociological Theory Matilda White Riley, et al, 1972; Dowd, 1980

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AGE STRATIFICATION THEORY (ctd)

Structural Components: Same Variables As Any Stratification System: Socio-Economic Status (SES); Ethnic Minorities Age Strata: All Societies Have Age Subgroups Size & Composition Varies With the Society Each Stratum Differs in Terms of:
Physical, Psychological, Social Conditions

Results in Age-Related Capacities

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AGE-RELATED ROLES
Roles Are Patterned/Distributed Based on Age
Directly: Womens Age Determines Pregnancy Indirectly: Rules Determine Entry Into School Generally Roles Are Distributed By Age
Parents of Preschoolers; Retirees

Age-Related Expectations:
People of Different Ages Play Roles Differently Partly Due to Physical Ability Partly Due to Experience, Knowledge
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PROCESS COMPONENTS IN AGE STRATA

Cohort Flow: Each Cohort Begins, Passes Through, & Ends Under Different Conditions Aging: Each Cohort Changes Physiologically & In Gaining Knowledge
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INTERVENING VARIABLES IN AGE STRATA

Allocation: Processes of Assigning & Reassigning People of Various Ages to Appropriate Roles
Adoption; Becoming Executive or Stock Clerk; Certain Jobs Only Available to College Grads, etc.

Socialization: Socializing Agencies Training People for New Roles At Each Stage
EX: Schools; Religious Organizations; Company OJT; Retirement Preparation Seminars
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EXTERNAL FACTORS IMPACTING ON AGE STRATA

Outside Events: Events Which Play a Role or Impact on the Process Without Anyone Being Able to Control It EX:
Level of Industrialization; Numbers of Men/Women in Cohort Economic Factors: Recession; Changes in 401K Plans; Madoffs Scam

Outside Factors Affect the Way the Age System/ Strata Operate At a Given Time
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PROBLEM OF AGE STRATA: STRUCTURAL LAG

Strata Patterns Lag Behind No Longer Apply EX: Rules Require Mandatory Retirement @ 65 But Many Workers Cannot Afford to Retire:
Union Supported Retirement Plans Eliminated Would-Be Retirees Caring for Very Elderly Parents Harvard Care Plan: Force Women to Stay Home

Needs of Society &/or Individual Not Met

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CONTRIBUTION OF AGE STRAFICATION THEORY

Major Contribution: Its Research Methodology COHORT ANALYSIS: Comparing Effects of: Aging: Physical Process of Growing Older Period: Historical Period of Aging Process Cohort: Generation Going Through It Together
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PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORIES
From Developmental Psychology Life Course Theory Views Aging As One Stage in Life Course See Changes Occurring Throughout Life Many Different Stages (Including Elder Care) Life Course Capital Plays a Role:
Assets/Liabilities Developed Through Life Experiences
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PERSONALITY CONTINUITY THEORY

Basic Tenet: As We Age, We Basically Continue As We Were Before No Major Changes As a Result of Growing Old
Barring Major Physical Change EX: Stroke

Early Research Goal: Obtain Evidence of the Mid-Life Crisis & When It Occurred
Paul Costa, PhD. Former Chief of Personality & Cognition Studies, Institute on Aging
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COSTAS STUDY OF MID-LIFE CRISIS

25 Year Longitudinal Study of Military Men Phase I: Personality Test Taken in 1944 in Their 20s (Test A) Phase II: Same Test Taken 25 Years Later (1969) 2 Parts:
Test B: Answer As You Think You Would Have Answered It 25 Years Ago Test C: Answer As You Would Answer It Today
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RESULTS OF COSTAS STUDY

3 Personality Tests Compared: 1944 Score; 1969 Est. of 1944 Score; 1969 Score Great Similarity Between 1944 & 1969 Scores Less Similarity: 1944 Score & Estimate of 1944 Conclusion: If You Want to Know What You Were Like 25 Years Ago Look at Self Today! Memories Are Notoriously Inaccurate!
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CONCLUSIONS OF PERSONALITY CONTINUITY THEORY

Our Personalities Are Pretty Well Set By Time We Are About 25 (Younger for Non-College) Pictures of Elderly as Crotchety, Hard to Get Along With Are Inaccurate (Absent Brain Trauma) Crabby Elderly Probably Were Crabby In Youth, Middle Age People Easy to Get Along With In Youth, Middle Age Stay That Way
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NEXT SECTION
Will Discuss Major Sociological Approaches to Aging

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