Social Gerontology: Theories of Aging - Assignment Example

Social Gerontology: Theories of AgingThe media is playing a huge role in perpetuating ageism and on the other side; humans are conditioning the situation. This paper will provide some examples showing how the media is aiding in perpetuating ageism as well as the humans’ role in conditioning ageism. Additionally, it will define successful ageing and either relate or contrast the definition with the one stated in the refereeing material. One can transmit stereotypes of ageism via a number of methods including friends, workmates, and family.

However, today, the most used mode of perpetuating ageism is the media that incorporates film, print media, and television. In this modern world, television is perpetuating ageism by documenting enormous improvements towards the way of depicting elderly people. Years around 1970s witnessed elderly people depicted by the media as cartoons, eccentric people, stubborn, comical, and above all, their behavior and image appeared unflattering (Quadagno, 2009). Currently, some shows present elderly people in a more fashionable manner by shining some light in their character.

The media is also perpetuating ageism through adverts. A recent study carried out in America shows that 40 percent of the interviewees set forth that television commercial advertisements present elderly people as adventurous hence shining light in their characters. Print media is also playing its part whereby, authors such as Saul Bellow, Anne Tyler, and Margaret Drabble in their novels portray elderly people as beneficiaries of discovering worth of living in the advanced age upon losing their youthfulness.

For instance, in Anne Tyler’s novel namely “Breathing Lessons” characters Ira Moran and Maggie having been in their marriage for 28 years being a trip to attend a funeral for one of Maggie’s childhood friends. On their ways, they take various detours unexpectedly into their lives, which in turn raise old memories. As a result, they both fall in love again. These common and literal themes of intergenerational relationships bring out a sense of coming back to life hence perpetuating ageism (Quadagno, 2009).

Successful ageing Since today, gerontologists are defining successful ageing as the ability to be in a position to prevent disability and disease as well as being able to attain peak psychological and physical participation and functioning, my definition for successful ageing will base on both productive and social activities. Successful ageing is a set of factor that involves placing objectives and goals that are meaningful and then working on achieving them by engaging in rewarding productive and social activities.

This definition is similar to the one provided in the textbook because, the one in the textbook presents successful ageing as the ability of an elderly person to attain meaningful rewards by participating in meaningful activities in spite of their peak psychological and physical attainment.Theories of aging Classified into macro and micro, theories of ageing are several and range from psychological to social. first, there is the theory of disengagement which sets forth that ageing people can adjust, satisfy, and live happily in their old age if only they remain involve and active.

Second, in activity theory Robert Havighurst argues that there is no difference of psychological needs between elderly people and middle-aged generation. As such, there exists no reason for abandoning, isolating, or withdrawing the elderly people unless the situation is uncontrollable. According to active theory, people who age optionally manage to stay active and can resist shrinkage of their world. Continuity theory asserts that personality of an individual plays a very crucial role in adjusting the individual into ageing.

Furthermore, it emphasizes that the process of development into an adult is a continuous (Quadagno, 2009). Subculture theory describes a conviction that makes people belief that they lost status in their old age and happened as cause of advanced activities. In conclusion, no, I do not agree that is natural for an older person to disengage because normal ageing incorporates an inevitable mutual disengagement and is natural hence results to decreased interaction between the aging individual and the rest of the society.

Aspects of life and impediments that correlate to disengagement are age and social status. Pathological aging is different from normal aging in the fact that pathological aging is an inevitable phenomenon while normal aging is universal for every form of life. Despite scientists believing humans can expand their current life beyond, theorists of aging do not support this believe since their works deliberate on aspects of aging.ReferencesQuadagno, (2009). Aging and the life course: Introduction to social Gerontology, Fourth Edition.

New York: McGraw-Hill Companies.