Sociology 0011A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Gerontology, Cohort Analysis, Ageism
Document Summary
All knowledge is provisional and all knowledge is subjective to refutation (pg. 86) No absolute truth in social gerontology tentativeness of social scientific knowledge the research process/purpose: theory, hypothesis, observations, empirical generalizations. Challenges in studying age-related phenomena: age effect, cohort effect, period effect. The purpose of social gerontological research identify and understand patterns of behavior among the elderly population. Produce reliable and valid knowledge that explains the social processes of aging: social class, gender and race/ethnicity (multi-level analysis) Aging in a life course perspective: transitions, trajectories, turning point, timing (4ts) Human development and aging are a life-long process. Timing of life transitions and events vary. Human agency: individuals construct their own life course through the choices and actions they take. Asking a question sets an agency (not value free) Research questions contain concepts that must be clearly define: macro (society), meso (social institutions), micro (individual) levels, clearer definition appropriate measure.