Deck 36: Aging and Society

Question 1

The elderly are categorized as a subordinate group or minority because

A)membership in the group is involuntary.
B)older U.S.citizens have a strong sense of group solidarity.
C)older people experience unequal treatment in employment and may face prejudice and discrimination.
D)All of these answers are correct.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Activity theory is a(an)

A)functionalist theory of aging,which contends that elderly people who remain active will be best-adjusted.
B)conflict theory of aging,which argues that society and the aging individual mutually sever many of their relationships.
C)functionalist theory of aging,which argues that society and the aging individual mutually sever many of their relationships.
D)interactionist theory of aging,which argues that elderly people who remain active will be best-adjusted.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Activity theory is associated with which sociological perspective?

A)functionalist perspective
B)conflict perspective
C)interactionist perspective
D)feminist perspective

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which sociological perspective notes that among those elderly who decline in their mental capacities,deterioration is most rapid in old people who withdraw from social relationships and activities?

A)functionalist perspective
B)conflict perspective
C)interactionist perspective
D)disengagement perspective

Question 5

In analyzing the elderly as a minority,one crucial difference between older people and other subordinate groups is that

A)older people are not the objects of prejudice and discrimination.
B)membership is not involuntary.
C)if we live long enough,we will all become members of this minority.
D)old people do not marry members of their own group.

Question 6

According to which theoretical perspective is old age a time when people are victimized and their social roles devalued?

A)functionalist
B)conflict
C)interactionist
D)feminist

Question 7

Gerontology is

A)rule by the elderly.
B)the scientific study of the sociological and psychological aspects of aging and the problems of the aged.
C)a religious cult that worships the aged.
D)a religion formed in Florida that is practiced exclusively by the aged.

Question 8

Unlike race or gender,age is not socially constructed.

Question 9

All societies have some system of age stratification and associate certain social roles with distinct periods in life.

Question 10

According to which theoretical perspective do social roles remain relatively unchanged as people age?

A)functionalist
B)conflict
C)interactionist
D)feminist

Question 11

Which sociological perspective criticizes both disengagement theory and activity theory for failing to consider the impact of social structure on patterns of aging?

A)functionalist perspective
B)conflict perspective
C)interactionist perspective
D)global perspective

Question 12

Which sociologists were responsible for developing the disengagement theory?

A)Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and Richard Kalish
B)Elaine Cumming and William Henry
C)Talcott Parsons and Robert Merton
D)Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

Question 13

The functionalist perspective maintains that

A)once people are labeled as "old" in the United States,this designation will have a major impact on how they are perceived and how they view themselves.
B)elderly people are unfairly regulated by the powerful elements in society.
C)elderly people passing social roles on from one generation to another ensure social stability.
D)old people have the same need for social interaction as any other group.

Question 14

Which sociological approach would most likely view old age as a "master status" that has consequences for how the elderly are treated in the United States?

A)disengagement theory
B)activity theory
C)labeling theory
D)functionalist perspective

Question 15

Marilyn,who has worked as a research scientist for 40 years,voluntarily retires at 64 years of age.However,she is in good health and spends most of her time hiking,doing volunteer work at a local hospital,and dating many of the eligible men in her community.Marilyn's behavior reflects which sociological theory?

A)activity theory
B)family systems theory
C)conflict theory
D)disengagement theory

Question 16

Disengagement theory is a

A)functionalist theory of aging,which contends that elderly people who remain active will be best-adjusted.
B)conflict theory of aging,which argues that society and the aging individual mutually sever many of their relationships.
C)functionalist theory of aging,which argues that society and the aging individual mutually sever many of their relationships.
D)theory of the United States' withdrawal from international involvement.

Question 17

The elderly exhibit traits of a minority group,including the fact that

A)they are indistinguishable from the rest of the population.
B)they are unlikely to be married to others of comparable age.
C)membership in the group is involuntary.
D)there is little solidarity among them as a group.

Question 18

Which of the following is correct regarding age?

A)Age is a socially constructed ascribed status.
B)Age is considered an achieved status.
C)The status of age is not socially constructed like race or gender.
D)Age is neither an achieved nor an ascribed status.

Question 19

What age do people have to be in order for writers to commonly refer to them as "young old"?

A)50s
B)60s
C)70s
D)80s

Question 20

A salesperson in his mid sixties is told by his peers,his family,and his boss that it is about time to retire and reap the fruits of his longtime career and his well-endowed pension fund.He eventually gives in to their persistent pressure.This is consistent with

A)conflict theory.
B)disengagement theory.
C)activity theory.
D)labeling theory.

Question 21

Conflict theorists have suggested that the transition from agricultural economies to industrialization and capitalism has always been beneficial for the elderly.

Question 22

Activity theory would imply that older married people have a higher risk of dying than those who live alone.

Question 23

Describe the process for the social construction of aged roles in a society.Give some examples to support your answer.

Question 24

Define disengagement theory and discuss the controversy surrounding its implications.