Human Growth and Development / Unit 16 HGD 2268 review, 2 to 3 minutes
Theories of Social Aging
The idea
Four theories try to explain why older adults' social lives change. Disengagement theory, from Cumming and Henry in nineteen sixty-one, holds that withdrawal is natural and mutual: older people and society let go of each other as death approaches. Activity theory holds the opposite: staying active and engaged brings greater life satisfaction, and lost roles should be replaced with new ones. Research supports activity theory more, since isolation is linked to poorer health, but activity may matter most where opportunities are plentiful. Continuity theory, from Atchley, holds that older adults preserve their existing patterns, roles and identities, adapting by drawing on their past; how active a person stays depends on how active that person has always been. Socioemotional selectivity theory, from Carstensen, holds that older adults narrow their networks deliberately, keeping the close ties that serve emotional goals as their time horizons shorten.
In practice
Three retirees with small social circles: one withdrawing because she feels her time is over, one who was always a homebody and still is, and one who has pruned acquaintances to spend time with her closest friends.
Where people slip
The misconception is that one theory is right for everyone. The theories describe different people and different situations. Disengagement fits poorly with evidence that isolation harms health. Activity theory captures the value of engagement but may impose one ideal on everyone. Continuity theory explains why the same level of activity satisfies one person and exhausts another. Socioemotional selectivity explains why smaller networks go with high satisfaction. Exam items often describe an older adult's social pattern and ask which theory it fits: withdrawal as natural points to disengagement, replacing roles to activity, keeping lifelong patterns to continuity, and choosing close ties for emotional reasons to socioemotional selectivity.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
Unlocks
- Nothing yet depends on this.
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it · Sources for Human Growth and Development