Continuity Theory

Examples of Continuity Theory in the following topics:

• Continuity Theory

  • The continuity theory proposes that older adults maintain the same activities, behaviors, personalities, and relationships of the past.
  • The theory considers the internal structures and external structures of continuity to describe how people adapt to their circumstances and set their goals.
  • Maddox and Robert Atchley are most closely associated with the continuity theory.
  • " He continued to expound upon the theory over the years, explaining the development of internal and external structures in 1989 and publishing a book in 1999 called Continuity and Adaptation in Aging: Creating Positive Experiences.
  • Examine the pros and cons of the continuity theory of aging, specifically in terms of how it neglects to consider social institutions or chronically ill adults

• The Origins of Language

  • These theories can be called continuity-based theories.
  • Continuity-based theories are currently held by a majority of scholars, but they vary in how they envision this development.
  • Other continuity-based models see language as having developed from music.
  • Theories that stress continuity often look at animals to see if, for example, primates display any traits that can be seen as analogous to what pre-human language must have been like.
  • Compare and contrast continuity-based theories and discontinuity-based theories about the origin of language

• Conflict

  • Conflict theory emphasizes interests deployed in conflict, rather than the norms and values.
  • Thus, the theory sees conflict as a normal part of social life, rather than an abnormal occurrence.
  • The three tenets of conflict theory are as follows:
  • While societies may portray a sense of cooperation, a continual power struggle exists between social groups as they pursue their own interests.
  • Conflict theory further argues that group A will continue to search for resources in order to keep group B from getting them, leading to the exploitation of the powerless.

• Social Movement Theories

  • There are two significant problems with this theory.
  • members are recruited through networks; commitment is maintained by building a collective identity and continuing to nurture interpersonal relationships
  • Critics of the political process theory and resource-mobilization theory point out that neither theory discusses movement culture to any great degree.
  • Culture theory builds upon both the political process and resource-mobilization theories but extends them in two ways.
  • Both resource-mobilization theory and political process theory include a sense of injustice in their approaches.

• Resource Mobilization Approach

  • The resource-mobilization approach is a theory that seeks to explain the emergence of social movements.
  • Resource-Mobilization Theory emphasizes the importance of resources in social movement development and success.
  • Resource mobilization theory also divides social movements according to their position among other social movements.
  • members are recruited through networks; commitment is maintained by building a collective identity and continuing to nurture interpersonal relationships
  • Resource-Mobilization Theory emphasizes the importance of resources in social movement development and success.

• Theoretical Perspectives on Childhood Socialization

  • One of the most widely applied theories of childhood is Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development.
  • The child learns that he is separate from his environment and that aspects of his environment, such as his parents or a toy, continue to exist even though they may be outside of his sensory field.
  • In 1979, psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner published The Ecology of Human Development, setting forth his theory known as ecological systems theory.
  • This video explains Piaget's theory of cognitive development and includes footage of the type of experiments Piaget performed to develop his theory.
  • Contrast the various theories of childhood development, such as Freud's psychosexual theory, Piaget's stages of development and ecological systems theory

• Intergenerational Conflict

  • The conflict perspective of aging is a strand of general sociological conflict theory, which is the theory that sees conflict as a normal aspect of social life rather than as an abnormal occurrence.
  • Conflict theory has three main premises: first, that society is comprised of different groups that compete for resources; second, that despite social attempts to portray a sense of cooperation, a continual power struggle exists between social groups as they pursue their own divergent and competing interests; third, social groups will use resources to their own advantage in pursuit of their own goals, even if it means taking advantage of another group of people.
  • The theory developed in 1980s as unemployment rose dramatically.
  • As such, the economic climate of the era in which the theory developed influenced the content of the theory itself.
  • According to conflict theory, generations of people are in competition with one another for power and resources.

• The Feminist Perspective

  • Feminist theory analyzes gender stratification through the intersection of gender, race, and class.
  • Feminist theory is the extension of feminism into theoretical or philosophical discourse.
  • Feminist theory uses the conflict approach to examine the reinforcement of gender roles and inequalities.
  • In light of this theory, the oppression and marginalization of women is thus shaped not only by gender, but by other factors such as race and class.
  • It was-- and continues to be-- important to recognize that white women faced a different form of discrimination than working class women of color, who not only had to deal with sexism, but also fought against racism and class oppression.

• Disengagement Theory

  • As such, the theory argues that it is natural and acceptable for older adults to withdraw from society.
  • Disengagement theory was the first theory of aging developed by social scientists.
  • When neither is ready, continuing engagement results.
  • When the individual is ready and society is not, a disjunction between the expectations of the individual and of the members of this social systems results, but engagement usually continues.
  • Disengagement theory suggests that adults become increasingly withdrawn as they get older.

• Gender Messages in the Family

  • Gender role theory posits that boys and girls learn the appropriate behavior and attitudes from the family with which they grow up.
  • Gender role theory posits that boys and girls learn the appropriate behavior and attitudes from the family and overall culture in which they grow up, and that non-physical gender differences are a product of socialization.
  • Social role theory proposes that social structure is the underlying force behind gender differences, and that the division of labor between two sexes within a society motivates the differences in their respective behavior.
  • Socialization theory tells us that primary socialization - the process that occurs when a child learns the attitudes, values and actions expected of individuals within a particular culture - is the most important phase of social development, and lays the groundwork for all future socialization.
  • Children learn continuously from the environment that adults create, including gender norms.