age and identity

Question 1

briefly explain Bradley’s theory of age (1977)

Answer 1

describes age as “the neglected dimension of inequality”

Question 2

suggest why age is seen as less important as a form of social identity

Answer 2

as ideas of age are commonly seen as biological
- birth, developing to physical maturity, aging and death are part of universal biological processes which affect all humans, therefore it can be argued that it can’t impact our social identity because it is inevitable and supposedly viewed the same by everyone.

Question 3

suggest why age is seen as an important form of social identity by some sociologists

Answer 3

sociologists agree with the idea age and ageing are linked to biological and psychological development, but they argue it can’t be fully understood without reference to their social context.

• There’s different norms, values and expectations of behaviour associated with different ages which influence our social identity
• there can be biological differences between people of the same age which may impact how others see and define them

Question 4

briefly explain the theory of age being a social construction

Answer 4

identity and status allocated to people of different biological ages is created by society and social attitudes, and not simply moulded by society

Question 5

briefly explain how attitudes towards age can very between cultures

Answer 5

some societies see old people as having a high status as the “elders” of a community

in Britain older people generally tend to lack status and status though this can vary between ethnic groups

Question 6

briefly explain Aries (1973) concept of childhood

Answer 6

he showed that in medieval times childhood didn’t exist as a separate status, children often moved straight from infancy to working roles in the community.
- shows how childhood is a social construct

Question 7

briefly explain Potsman’s (1982) concept of childhood

Answer 7

argues childhood appeared when a printing press was made (printed textbooks)

argues there is a social deconstruction of childhood (childhood is being diluted by adult values resulting in children growing up faster) E.g. by having access to social media earlier, through capitalism and advertisements, peer pressure to do drugs and wear makeup

Question 7

briefly explain Gittens theory of an age patriarchy (social action/interpretivism)

Answer 7

argues children are experiencing an age patriarchy of adult domination that keeps children subordinate
3 main ways: time (e.g. bedtimes), space (e.g. where they can go), bodies (e.g. what they eat and wear)

Question 8

briefly explain how youth/adolescence was recognised before the 1950’s and how it has changed now

Answer 8

before 1950’s: adolescence was regarded as part of adulthood (leave school early teens and started work)

1950’s: was finally recognised as a unique age group that differs from adulthood

beyond 1950’s: period between childhood and independent adulthood has become longer (e.g. extended periods of education) making it difficult for many young people to establish a clear adult identity

Question 9

briefly explain how youth subcultures help young people find their identity

Answer 9

they enable young people to carve out an identity for themselves as they make a transition to an independent adult identity

Question 10

briefly explain Albert Cohen’s theory of a moral panic (1972)

Answer 10

looked at how the media sensationalise the behaviour of young people to create a moral panic

Question 11

briefly explain Johnson and Blytheway’s theory of ageism

Answer 11

defined as: the offensive exercise of power through reference to age

it is often institutionalised in the structure of society and expressed through stereotypical images and practises in the mass media.

like youth cultures, old age can be a stigmatised identity preventing them from establishing other identities beyond being an ‘old person’

Question 12

briefly explain how the word teenager became a recent phenomenon for sociologists/origins of it

Answer 12

origins came from the rise of affluence and the emergence of culture industry in the west after WW2.

the emerging communications industry (tv, film, music) is considered to have invented the typical teenager to create a market for its goods

Question 13

what are the 2 major strands in the study of youth

Answer 13

youth as a period of transition from childhood to adulthood

youth subcultures and their opposition to mainstream society

Question 14

briefly explain why youth subcultures are viewed negatively due to media and politicians

Answer 14

often perceived as deviant and had been a moral panic in the media

politicians criticised the young and talk of the rising tide of apathy, fatalism and hedonism amongst the young

Question 15

briefly explain Pearson’s (1983) theory on fear of youth

Answer 15

argued fear of youth has been around since the victorians (fearing young hooligans on the streets).
there’s been many moral panics of young people in the media, creating the idea that they are a threat to society

Question 16

give the 3 characteristics of a youth culture

Answer 16

clothing
leisure activities
music

Question 17

briefly explain the neo-marxism/marxism perspective on youth cultures and subcultures
(include Rushkoff, Sewell, Willis)

Answer 17

• Rushkoff: youth cultures are a fight against capitalist domination/ they’re a natural consequence of capitalism
• those born w/c male are likely to realise they are marginalised in society and fight back by forming a subculture
• they claim consumer society maximises relative poverty and damages value system of the young
• Sewell (1997): found African Carribean boys form anti-school subcultures (cared more about physical strength than academic success)
• Willis (1977): saw w/c boys rebel against m/c education system as they feel alienated against

Question 18

bricolage

Answer 18

using everyday objects to create something new
(mundane objects carry more meaning in this context, e.g. for roadman a puffer jacket is a bricolage of their subculture)

Question 19

briefly explain the feminism perspective on youth cultures and subcultures
(include McRobbie, Lincoln, Holland)

Answer 19

• many youth culture studies were written by men about youth subcultures and saw females as invisible
• 3 main reasons girls were less involved in male dominated subcultures: gender role socialisation, stricter parent control of girls leisure time, concerns of their personal safety
• believe woman are becoming more involved in subcultures outside the home as they’re becoming less patriarchal with growing equality and success in work/education
• McRobbie (1979): bedroom culture and focused on activities of girls
• Lincoln (2004): found bedroom culture as significant in girls lives and now boys lives due to social media
• Holland: found girls now spend more on nights out/show ladette behaviours

Question 20

briefly explain the functionalism perspective on youth cultures and subcultures
(include Parsons)

Answer 20

• Parsons: they emerge as a way of dealing with status frustration which arises from an extended period of childhood to adulthood
• economic dependency on parents and extended periods in education leads to young people finding it hard to establish an independent adult status = status frustration occurs
• found formation of these as a normal short lived transitional stage for young people moving towards adult identities
• criticisms: doesn’t explain the variety of different youth subcultures and ignores dysfunctional aspects of some youth subcultures (e.g. anti-social behaviour, sexism, racism)

Question 21

briefly explain the interactionist/ labelling theory perspective on youth cultures and subcultures
(include Becker and albert Cohen)

Answer 21

• think theres interaction between people where meanings are shared about what’s important and this is incorporated into youth subcultural behaviours
• becker: labelling theory suggests an individuals identity is strongly shaped by labels others give to you. In youth subcultures a young person may see a label they want to have and actively take on the identity of the group and once in the group all behaviour is a result of acting out the group identity
• A.Cohen: looked at how the media became part of negatively labelling the youth culture, so negative deviance amplification takes place. he said the young people become folk devils in the moral panic of the media