Sociology 2140 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: 50Plus, Senescence, Dementia
16 Dec 2017
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The global context: the young and the old around the world. Ageism: the belief that age is associated with certain psychological, behavioural, or intellectual traits. The commonsense perception of north americans that childhood extends to at least age 10 or 12and is marked by an absence of responsibilities and cares is only one worldview among many. Modernization theory: a theory claiming that as society becomes more technologically advanced, the position of the elderly declines. Age determines life experiences, since the approximate date of birth determines the historical period in which a person lives. Different ages are associated with different developmental stages (physiological, psychological, and social) as well as abilities; they influence now one perceives and accesses the time period of one"s age. Age defines roles and expectations of behaviour. The expression act your age implies that some behaviours are inappropriate for people of certain ages. Age influences the social groups to which one belongs.
