SOC246 - Lecture 3 -Life Course Prospective and Population Studies.docx
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SOC246 – Lecture 3
Life Course Prospective (Glen Elder)
- Started through observing studies conducted in the 1920’s and 1930’s on children
- Examined two birth cohorts (men in these cohorts)
- Oakland Growth Study (1920-1921)
- Berkley Guidance Study (1928-1929)
Longitudinal research – following the same people over time to observe changes
- Oakland cohort was older by the the depression so less of impact on them
- Oakland cohort was old enough to serve in WWII
- Berkley cohort supffered greater impact due to depressiuon, parents always out trying to make
money when they were young
- Berkley cohort could not serve inn WWII (too young)
- being able to seve in WWII allowed more opportunities when back, government provided
education for these people upon return (allowed better jobs)
- over time the Berkley’s were more susceptible to maritalproblems, alchoholism, mental
problems, depression, etc.
- both cohorts experienced the same events but at different times ion their lives; lead to major
differences
- Elder also looked at aqn even younger cohort (10 years prior), even more negative effects
- This group was 30, married, and had careers by WWII, huge disruptions in lives, did not provide
a way to start “good’ lives like for the Oaklands
Four Basic Principles of Life Course perspective (Elder, 1999):
1) Time and place (of birth0
2) Timing (when events happen in their life)
3) Linked lives (who you are able to associate with in your lifetime)