CSA The Sociology of Aging 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sociological theory argues that older adults who remain active and engaged maintain higher life satisfaction than those who withdraw from social roles?
- Disengagement Theory
- Activity Theory (Correct answer)
- Continuity Theory
- Age Stratification Theory
Correct answer: Activity Theory
Activity Theory holds that maintaining social roles and staying active is key to psychological well-being in later life.
Question 2: The concept of 'ageism' was coined by which gerontologist?
- Bernice Neugarten
- Robert Butler (Correct answer)
- Erik Erikson
- Leopold Rosenmayr
Correct answer: Robert Butler
Robert Butler introduced the term 'ageism' in 1969 to describe systematic stereotyping and discrimination against older people.
Question 3: In the context of aging, what does the term 'role exit' refer to?
- Taking on new caregiving responsibilities
- Leaving a social role such as worker or spouse without a clear replacement role (Correct answer)
- Moving from one geographic region to another after retirement
- Transitioning from independence to assisted living
Correct answer: Leaving a social role such as worker or spouse without a clear replacement role
Role exit describes leaving major social roles, which can cause identity loss if no equivalent role replaces it.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes the 'sandwich generation'?
- Adults age 85+ who need care from two generations below them
- Middle-aged adults simultaneously caring for aging parents and dependent children (Correct answer)
- Older adults who provide financial support to both grandchildren and great-grandchildren
- Baby Boomers caught between two waves of Social Security reform
Correct answer: Middle-aged adults simultaneously caring for aging parents and dependent children
The sandwich generation refers to middle-aged adults pressed between caregiving duties for elderly parents and their own children.
Question 5: What is 'social convoy theory' in gerontology?
- The idea that older adults travel more frequently after retirement
- A model describing how a core network of close relationships moves with individuals through life (Correct answer)
- The theory that peer groups replace family ties after age 70
- A framework for understanding elder migration patterns
Correct answer: A model describing how a core network of close relationships moves with individuals through life
Social convoy theory proposes that individuals move through life surrounded by a protective network of close social ties that evolves over time.
Question 6: The 'compression of morbidity' hypothesis suggests that:
- Chronic illness will increase in duration as populations age
- The period of serious illness before death can be shortened, allowing more years of healthy life (Correct answer)
- Older adults underreport symptoms due to cohort norms
- Medical costs inevitably expand as life expectancy rises
Correct answer: The period of serious illness before death can be shortened, allowing more years of healthy life
James Fries proposed that lifestyle and medical advances could compress the period of disability into a shorter window near the end of life.
Question 7: Which social factor is most consistently associated with higher mortality risk among older adults in U.S. research?
- Living in a rural area
- Social isolation and loneliness (Correct answer)
- Retirement before age 65
- Having adult children who live out of state
Correct answer: Social isolation and loneliness
Chronic social isolation is linked to mortality risks comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, making it one of the strongest predictors.
CSA The Sociology of Aging 2
Which sociological theory argues that older adults who remain active and engaged maintain higher life satisfaction than those who withdraw from social roles?