Conflict Theory: the Differences among Generations - Essay Example

? Aging Aging Aging is a process undertaken by all organisms which involves changes and it happens around the world that is why global aging is natural. This phenomenon is unstoppable and all people around the world experience it. According to WHO, people aged over 60 is faster than the other age groups. Within the year 2000 and 2050 people who belong to the age 60 and above is expected to rise from 600 million to 2 billion. This global phenomenon of aging is possible because of technological and healthcare advancement this past century. Elderly population will grow mainly in developing countries and 75% of the elderly will be found in developing countries. New economic and social demands will be experienced by all nations and health planning and adequate and equal health services should be implemented (Belfield, 2008). Inequality is prevalent in the population especially in the adult to elderly age groups. Income, occupation and social status have been considered in learning the inequalities happening in the aged population. Several studies had been conducted to understand the relationship of income, social status and occupation to the population size of the elderly. As basis for the social and welfare inequalities happening in the society, two studies are considered: Tarani Chandola and his colleagues’ work and the report made by Angus Deaton and Christina Paxson. According to Chandola et.al. (2007), men and women from lower class of the society with lower income jobs and more of manual work, they age quicker than those who belong to the upper class of the society having analytical and planning careers. The average physical health of a person from the high class of the society has the same status as that of the person eight years younger from the lower class of the society. From the mid-age, mental health improves as the person grows older in general but for the members of the lower class of the society the improvement is very slow. The same generalization were obtained from the study of Deaton and Paxson (1998), the income truly affects the access of people especially the elderly to the healthcare services to maintain their health in good shape. As the person ages, he seeks more medical services to support his health while his career is the common source of income that greatly affects his purchasing power for the services he needs. The inequality issue can be further explained using three sociological perspectives: conflict theory, functional analysis and symbolic interactionism. Conflict theory focuses on age grading and inequality is evident because both young and old occupy subordinate classes. The functional analysis or also known as disengagement theory perceives aging in an interdependent manner that all people of all ages have specific functions or roles in the society and the elderly must later on pass the responsibilities to the younger generation. In symbolic interactionism, stereotyping is evident through social meaning and labeling for certain age groups (Mooney, Knox and Schacht, 2009). Each perspective is then used to explain the inequality happening currently in the society as a whole through examples and detailed information. A good example for conflict theory is the differences among generations usually called generation gap. It is caused by inter-group perception defined by age. Many studies had been conducted about generation gap which is more present in the general population or cohort than in the family lineage. Age of the perceiver, relationship between the perceiver and the group and the perceiver-referent relationship had been considered. It was found out that older generations think more traditionally than the younger generations that lead to conflict in beliefs and ideas. Younger generations are more optimistic, open to possibilities and think globally (Bengtson, 1971). Another focus of conflict is the “out of synch” biological and life span improvements based on advancement of healthcare and other related technology to that of the traditional perspective of the social structure. One of the most common examples is the issue on reproductive health specifically the use of contraception. Due to the traditional view of the aging population that natural solutions are more effective and more respectful than the use of innovative contraceptives, it is commonly observed that the older generations mistrust technology as solutions to social problems even though advancement in technology specifically in the field of medicine increases longevity (“Social Gerontology,” n.d.; “Sociology of Aging,” n.d.). The age-segregation in the society is the most evident issue of conflict related to the aging process. Resolution to the said issue is paramount due to the detrimental effects of the said issue in different aspects of the social structure. The functional analysis of aging is another perspective of importance which is defined as the philosophical view wherein a society is composed of various parts with designation functions that contribute to the total social equilibrium. Functional analysis when compared to the conflict theory works on the basis of cohesion instead of competition (Cliffnotes, 2011). The sociology of the aging process based on functional analysis covers different interpersonal partnership to survive through the scarcity of resources in the environment. There are two types of social consensus or cohesive structure within the society namely mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity. Examples of mechanical solidarity are the groups in relation to careers or jobs. In such systems, age classification is also common. Younger members of groups are more active, thus, they function well for expansion of the company’s services. On the other hand, the older members of the groups function well for planning and evaluative roles based on their more advance and more experienced critical analysis skills (Cliffnotes, 2011). In terms of organic solidarity, one clear example that can be given is linked lives which can be defined as the relationship with other people that can define the role and the manner by which an individual lead a life. Examples of people with linked lives are married people and immediate family members and relatives (Fuller-Iglesias, Smith & Antonuccie, 2009, p. 16). Interpersonal relationship based on the aging process has different types such as intimate partnerships and intergenerational relationships. Intimate partnerships such as marriage and living-in arrangements can be defined as an interaction of people within the same age group thus they treat each other as equals while intergenerational relationships are established on the basis of the superiority of one individual’s age over another such as the parent to child or grandparent to grandchildren relationship (Connidis, 2009). Through the said relationships, organic solidarity or consensus of functions can be achieved. Symbolic interactionism is another type of perspective which can be used to study the sociology of aging. Compared to the first two types, it is focused on the micro or individual level of face-to-face interactions and symbolisms used in communication processes (Cliffnotes, 2011). There are different issues and events in the society and in the life of an individual that can be considered as symbolic representations of the aging process. One of the most common examples in relation to aging is the expectation in terms of career and status passage. According to the research by Marshall (1979), career achievements and social status communicate the capability to exercise choice and decision making. Conclusion Based on the study of sociology of aging, the process can be defined and analyze on the basis of the conflicting, cohesive and symbolic relationship with other factors in the society. Conflicting relationship is based on the age-segregation occurring in the social structure. Cohesive relationship is based on the functions and roles taken by individuals of different ages to be able to survive within the society. Symbolic interactionism defines the manner by which individuals of different ages communicates regardless of the complexity of the social processes that can hinder exchange of messages. Globally, aging is a natural phenomenon and can never be stopped. As the aged population is expected to increase until by the year 2050, the conflicting relationship among the age groups will be higher since more care and attention should be given to the elderly. Through functional approach, the growing aged population means more attention should be given to those in lower class of society who are aging and give the sufficient government support. In a symbolic interactionism perspective, aged people who belong to the higher class of the society have more choices and capabilities to support their growing healthcare needs as compared to aged people in the lower class. References Belfield, K. (2008). How will global aging affect inequalities in health throughout the world? Retrieved from http://www.bgs.org.uk/PDF%20Downloads/Amulree%20Prize%20Belfield.pdf Bengtson, V. (1971). Inter-age perception and generation gap. The Gerontologist, 11, 85-89. Chandola, T., Ferrie, J., Sacker, A. and Marmot, M. (2007). Social inequalities in self reported health in early old age: follow-up of prospective cohort study. British Medical Journal, 334 : 990. Retrieved from http://www.bmj.com/content/334/7601/990.full Cliffnotes.com. (2011). Three major perspectives in sociology. Retrieved September 6, 2011 from http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Three-Major-Perspectives-in-Sociology.topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26837.html Connidis, I. A. (2009). Family ties & aging. Pine Forge Press. Deaton, A. and Paxson, C. (1998). Aging and inequality in income and health. Demographic Trends and Economic Consequences, 88:2. Retrieved from http://www.princeton.edu/~deaton/downloads/Aging_and_Inequality_in_Income_and_Health.pdf Fuller-Iglesias, H., Smith, J., and Antonuccie, T. C. (2009). Theories of aging from a life-course and life-span perspective: an overview. In Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Volume 29: Life-Course Perspectives on Late Life Health Inequalities. Spring Publishing Company. Marshall, V.W. (1979). No exit: a symbolic interactionist perspective on aging. Int J Aging Hum Dev, 9(4): 345-58. Mooney, L., Knox, D. and Schacht, C. (2009). Understanding social problems. USA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Social Gerontology & The Aging Revolution (n.d.). Retrieved September 6, 2011, from http://www.trinity.edu/mkearl/geron.html#in Sociology of Aging (n.d.). Retrieved September 6, 2011, from http://www.trinity.edu/mkearl/gerosoc.html Read More