Aging Theories- Role Theory

One of the prominent theories in social aging is role theory. Each person plays a wide variety of social roles in life, from parent to child to business professional to grandparent. Role theory concerns the tendency for human behaviors to form characteristic patterns that may be predicted if one knows the social context in which those behaviors appear. Role theorists tend to share a basic vocabulary, an interest in the fact that human behavior is contextually differentiated and is associated with the social position of the actor, and the assumption that behavior is generated by expectations that are held by the actor and others.

Certain roles identify and describe a person as a social being and are the basis for self-concept and identity. It explains those behavior patterns, or roles, by assuming that people within a context appear as members of recognized social identities. Role theorists tend to share a basic vocabulary, an interest in the fact that human behavior is contextually differentiated and is associated with the social position of the actor.

In most societies chronological age is used to determine eligibility to different positions and to shape expectations of people in social situations. Role expectations are not just behaviors but emotions and feelings as well. Roles have remarkably detailed and complex expectations for our behavior. How well individuals adjust to aging is assumed to depend on how well they accept the role changes presumed to be typical of the later years.

One aspect of role theory I want to emphasize is the viewing of acts that are socially looked at as "age appropriate." I think this plays a big part in society's view on the role theory. When older people are not acting the way they are supposed to, or age appropriate, people say they should act their age. These norms may have been formally expressed through social policies and even laws. One example is mandatory retirement policies for some occupations. The term age-normative expectations go right along with age appropriate. Society gives specific times in one's life, specific ages when it is age appropriate to marry, have children, graduate, start a career and eventually retire. This idea of becoming socialized with your choices being dictated by age does not quite sit well with me. Age should not dictate how or at what pace you live your life. Life sometimes throws curve balls in ones plan like, role losses, and role discontinuity, these are losing a partner or learned traits or skills that may have been deemed useless at time of learning. The term "role" in society covers a large extent of a person’s life, both socially and emotionally to an extent. Sometimes life chooses our roles, sometimes the roles are our own choice.

Hooyman, Nancy R, and H A. Kiyak. Social Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Perspective. Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon, 2011. Print.

Scholarly Journal
Biology of Senescent Liver Peroxisomes: Role in Hepatocellular Aging and Disease
Organization Science, Vol. 14, No. 5 (Sep. - Oct., 2003), pp. 591-610


http://www.everydaysociologyblog.com/2007/08/role-theory.html

I like this page because it has good information about role theory and the how roles affect society. Roles have remarkably detailed and complex expectations for our behavior.

http://www.brainybehavior.com/blog/2010/11/aging-and-role-loss/

This site explains the impact of role loss and its impact on the theory of roles. This loss of roles can lead to social isolationism; the site explains how this isolation can lead to decreased amount of social interaction among seniors.

Link to Video Clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5BjB1MDT-4

“According to Role theory, we all ‘play' roles in life similar to characters in a play. These roles (or should I say rules) govern our behavior and determine how we will interact with family members, in our personal relationships and in our dealings at work, school and society at large”-    Bakari Akil II, Ph.D.