Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Download QR code; Print/export Download as PDF; Printable version; In other projects Wikidata item; Appearance. ... Free-radical theory of aging; G.
Gerontology (/ ˌ dʒ ɛr ən ˈ t ɒ l ə dʒ i / JERR-ən-TOL-ə-jee) is the study of the social, cultural, psychological, cognitive, and biological aspects of aging.The word was coined by Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov in 1903, from the Greek γέρων (gérōn), meaning "old man", and -λογία (), meaning "study of".
Aging and developmental change, therefore, are continuous processes that are experienced throughout life. As such, the life course reflects the intersection of social and historical factors with personal biography and development within which the study of family life and social change can ensue (Elder 1985; Hareven 1996).
Social theories are analytical frameworks, or paradigms, that are used to study and interpret social phenomena. [1] A tool used by social scientists, social theories relate to historical debates over the validity and reliability of different methodologies (e.g. positivism and antipositivism), the primacy of either structure or agency, as well as the relationship between contingency and necessity.
Social theories, or concepts, [163] propose explanations for the distinctive relationships between old people and their societies. One theory, proposed in 1961, is the disengagement theory, which proposes that, in old age, a mutual disengagement between people and their society occurs in anticipation of death. By becoming disengaged from work ...
For example, age may be measured starting from conception or birth, starting at either zero or age one. Transitions such as reaching puberty, age of majority, or retirement are often socially significant. The concepts of successful aging and healthy aging refer to both social and physical aspects of the aging process. [3] [4]
The activity theory and the disengagement theory were the two major theories that outlined successful aging in the early 1960s. [4] The theory was developed by Robert J. Havighurst in 1961. [ 1 ] In 1964, Bernice Neugarten asserted that satisfaction in old age depended on active maintenance of personal relationships and endeavors.
The major criticism for the theory is its definition of normal aging. [6] The theory distinguishes normal aging from pathological aging, neglecting the older adults with chronic illness. The feminist theories criticise the continuity theory for defining normal aging around a male model. [6] Another weakness of the theory is that it fails to ...