SOCI 373 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Gerontology, Socioeconomic Status, Food Desert
19 Jun 2018
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01/16/2018
Emphasis in the sociological study of aging on power and inequality. We should be skeptical of
public arguments. Three areas of gerontology: biomedicine, psychosocial, environmental.
Psycho-social studies- examines changes that take place within the individual and between the
individual and the group.
Socioeconomic-environmental- it means something broader in terms of the larger aging
environment. What is it like to age in place in specific contexts? Do different neighborhoods
have different structures that aid aging? Are you living in a food desert? Are you living in a low
income neighborhood? What are the welfare policies in the province in which you live? AB has
more extensive policies for supporting older adults than other provinces. Welfare regimes-
different nations can be classified into different levels of support they offer to individuals. Nordic
countries are generous regimes where the goal is redistribution, there is extensive supports for
older adults. In a nordic welfare regime aging may not be as stressful because of these
supports. Spain has a rudimentary welfare regime, there is a large expectation that family will
provide support, there may be greater stressors for older adults. Canada has ‘liberal’ welfare
regime- maintenance of what is being experienced. How wealthy is the nation overall? Can we
expect that in wealthier nations will older adults be better off? The importance is one of
context.A primary mission of sociology in general is to understand how factors beyond the
individual influence the individual.
Aggregation- average of a cluster. Does the aggregate of the individual have an effect over and
above the individual? What one believes or does may be shaped by the social context, but the
collection of beliefs or behaviors can have influence on the individual.
Context=aggregate attitudes and experiences that go over and above your own attitudes and
experiences.
How is the individual influenced by the collective? Aggregate influences- the individual is placed
within the social environment within which they live.
Social Gerontology= socio-psychological+socio-environmental
Sociologists can study health and illness by problematizing them- to what extent are these
illnesses shaped by social contextual factors?
Socioeconomic status was the only common predictor for determining trajectory of ADL.
The higher your SES the more likely you were to end up in the lower trajectory (ADL graph)
Senescence- aging
Social theory focuses on social structure- dominant social roles. Helps us to understand the
importance of structures of power that influence aging.
Theory is a research tool as well as an outcome of research.
Theory guides us to look at key concepts and variables.
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Document Summary
Emphasis in the sociological study of aging on power and inequality. Psycho-social studies- examines changes that take place within the individual and between the individual and the group. Socioeconomic-environmental- it means something broader in terms of the larger aging environment. Ab has more extensive policies for supporting older adults than other provinces. Welfare regimes- different nations can be classified into different levels of support they offer to individuals. Nordic countries are generous regimes where the goal is redistribution, there is extensive supports for older adults. In a nordic welfare regime aging may not be as stressful because of these supports. Spain has a rudimentary welfare regime, there is a large expectation that family will provide support, there may be greater stressors for older adults. Canada has liberal" welfare regime- maintenance of what is being experienced. The importance is one of context. a primary mission of sociology in general is to understand how factors beyond the individual influence the individual.
