As a result, every person will lose ties to others in his or her society. Postulate one: Everyone expects death, and one’s abilities will likely deteriorate over time.They formulate their argument along nine postulates to explain why it is rational for individuals who know that death is approaching and who have seen friends of their age pass to begin to anticipate their own deaths and disengage.Įlderly Woman: Disengagement theory suggests that adults become increasingly withdrawn as they get older. In Growing Old, Cumming and Henry develop a logical argument for why older adults would naturally disengage from society. It was originally formulated by Elaine Cumming and Warren Earl Henry in their 1961 book Growing Old. There is less pressure to conform to society's ideals, as there are fewer methods of reinforcement, such as school rules or workplace etiquette, directed toward the elderly.\)ĭisengagement theory was the first theory of aging developed by social scientists. The life stage of old age is less constrained by social norms and rules that govern our behavior. Our gradual mental and physical decline leads us to distance ourselves from wider society and other individuals. They argue that withdrawal and distance from wider society is a normal aspect of growing older.
Disengagement Theory of Agingĭisengagement theory is the earliest functionalist perspective on gerontology, pioneered by Elaine Cumming and William E. Now that we've looked at each of the main theories of aging let's review the perspectives that fall under each core sociological tradition. Selective optimization with compensation theory, and The main symbolic interactionist theories of aging are: One such example is retirement as a marker of old age. The concept of gender age also reveals how we attribute aging differently to men and women - where the former may be labeled as 'mature', and the latter as 'old'.įinally, social norms also lay out timetables that indicate when people can be considered 'old'. We may also turn to people's personal histories, such as certain illnesses or accidents, which may make people feel older sooner than expected. We associate certain physical or biological factors with aging, such as baldness, body aches, wrinkles, or white hair. Our perceptions of age change as we ourselves age.įurthermore, several factors determine whether we perceive and/or label someone as 'old': And, as teenagers, those above the age of 30 seem rather old now. For example, when we were young kids, teenagers seemed to be very old. The fact that perceptions of the elderly shift between time and space proves that sociocultural associations of age are man-made. Just as individuals have different perspectives on aging, so do different types of sociologists! Let's explore the major gerontological perspectives in sociology. We'll close by examining the importance of aging theories in sociology.After this, we'll go through all the major theories of aging, such as the disengagement theory of aging and Baltes' theory of successful aging, for an in-depth look at the specific theories under the core sociological traditions.We'll start by looking at a quick summary of the theories of aging - functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism.In this explanation, we're going to explore theories of aging.While some of us see aging as a time to embrace the fruits of our lifelong labor, others dread the elderly years and what they may bring to our social, economic, and physical being. The process of getting older is packaged in many different ways in society. Have you ever imagined how your life will change as you age? Theoretical Approaches to Welfare Providers.Distribution of Wealth, Poverty, and Income in the UK.Representation of Social Class In The Media.Social Construction of Health and Illness.Postmodernist Perspective on The Family.Functionalist Perspectives on the Family.
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