Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences, Sixth Edition (Handbook of Aging)

541 Pages·2006·4.41 MB·English

by  Robert H. Binstock

Handbook of
Aging and the Social Sciences
The Handbooks of Aging
Consisting of Three Volumes
Critical comprehensive reviews of
research knowledge, theories, concepts, and issues
Editor-in-Chief
James E. Birren
Handbook of the Biology of Aging
Edited by Edward J.Masoro and Steven N. Austad
Handbook of the Psychology of Aging
Edited by James E. Birren and K. Warner Schaie
Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences
Edited by Robert H. Binstock and Linda K. George
Handbook of
Aging and the Social
Sciences
Sixth Edition
Editors
Robert H. Binstock and Linda K. George
Associate Editors
Stephen J. Cutler, Jon Hendricks, and James H. Schulz
AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON • NEWYORK • OXFORD
PARIS • SANDIEGO • SANFRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Handbook of aging and the social sciences / editors Robert H. Binstock and Linda K. George ; associate
editors Stephen J.Cutler, Jon Hendricks, and James H. Schulz.– 6th ed.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-12-088388-0 (alk. paper)
1. Gerontology. 2. Aging–Social aspects. 3. Life change events in old age. 4. Older people–Care.
I. Title: Aging and the social sciences. II. Binstock, Robert H. III. George, Linda K. IV. Cutler, Stephen
J.V. Hendricks, Jon. VI. Schulz, James H.
HQ1061.H336 2006
305.26–dc22
2005029192
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 13: 978-0-12-088388-2
ISBN 10: 0-12-088388-0
For information on all Elsevier Academic Press publications
visit our Web site at www.books.elsevier.com
Printed in the United States of America
05 06 07 08 09 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To my cousin, Senator Russ Feingold (D., WI), with the hope that he can
preserve Social Security and Medicare.
—R.H.B.
To my mother, Doretta A. Kaufman, and in memory of my father, Amos D. Kaufman,
with love and gratitude.
—L.K.G.
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
Contents
Contributors xv
Foreword xvii
Preface xix
About the Editors xxiii
Part One
Aging and Time
1. Aging and the Life Course
Richard A. Settersten, Jr.
I. Why Gerontology Needs the Life Course 3
II. Clarifying the Distinctiveness of Old Age 8
III. Exploring Connections Between Old Age and Prior Life Periods 10
IV. The End of Gerontology? 13
V. Conclusion 14
References 16
2. Modeling the Effects of Time: Integrating Demographic and Developmental
Perspectives
Duane F. Alwin, Scott M. Hofer, and Ryan J.McCammon
I. Conceptions of Time 20
II. Population Concepts 23
III. Analysis Issues 24
IV. Modeling the Effects of Time 28
V. Conclusions 34
References 35
vii
viii Contents
Part Two
Aging and Social Structure
3. Morbidity, Disability, and Mortality
Kenneth C. Land and Yang Yang
I. Epidemiologic Transition Theory and Recent Trends in Adult Mortality 42
II. The Dynamics of Morbidity, Disability, and Mortality 45
III. Demographic, Social, and Behavioral Differentials in Morbidity, Disability,
and Mortality 48
IV. Conclusions and Future Research Directions 54
References 55
4. Old Age Through the Lens of Family History
Carole Haber
I. The Initial Interpretative Phase: Modernization and the Families of the Old 60
II. The Second Phase: The Cambridge Group and Its Followers 61
III. A Research Agenda 72
References 73
5. Internal and International Migration
Charles F. Longino, Jr., and Don E. Bradley
I. Internal Migration 76
II. Late-Life International Migration 84
III. Future Research Priorities 89
References 89
6. Diversity and Aging in the United States
Ronald J.Angel and Jacqueline L. Angel
I. Population Diversity and the Pact Between the Generations 94
II. The Ethnic Age Grading of the Population 95
III. Culture and Diversity 97
IV. Health of the Elderly Minority Population 98
V. Income and Wealth: The Sources of Retirement Security 101
VI. Age at Immigration 102
VII. Medical Care, Living Arrangements, and Long-Term Care 103
VIII. Conclusion 104
References 106
7. Social Networks and Health
Jennifer L. Moren-Cross and Nan Lin
I. Social Structure and Health 111
II. The Network Approach 112
III. Review of Social Network Properties and Health 115
IV. Conclusions and Directions for Future Research 121
References 124
Contents ix
8. Converging Divergences in Age, Gender, Health, and Well-Being:
Strategic Selection in the Third Age
Phyllis Moen and Donna Spencer
I. Age- and Gender-Graded Role Constellations 129
II. The Third Age and Retirement: Institutions and Role Constellations in Flux 131
III. Converging Divergences in the Third Age: Consequences of Obsolete
Age- and Gender-Graded Constellations 134
IV. A Converging Divergence? 138
V. Summary 139
References 140
9. Stratification and the Life Course:
Life Course Capital, Life Course Risks, and Social Inequality
Angela M. O’Rand
I. Life Course Capital: Evolutionary and Social Origins 146
II. Forms of Life Course Capital: A Brief Review 148
III. Childhood: The First Life Course Risks in the Development of Life Course
Capital 149
IV. Challenges to Linking Childhood Origins to Adult Outcomes 152
V. Life Course Risks After Childhood: Variant Opportunities and Deviant Setbacks
153
VI. Variant Adult Pathways to Inequality: Patterns of Disadvantage and Advantage
154
VII. Deviant Setbacks in the Life Course: Criminal Records 156
VIII. Conclusions: The Retrenchment of Equalizing Institutions and Life Course
Stratification 157
References 158
Part Three
Social Factors and Social Institutions
10. Intergenerational Family Transfers in Social Context
Merril Silverstein
I. Altruism, Power, and Reciprocity in Family Systems 166
II. Public-Private Interfaces 170
III. Corporate and Mutual Aid Models 172
IV. Normative-Moral Perspectives on Transfers 174
V. Conclusion 175
References 176
11. Social Relationships in Late Life
Neal Krause
I. What Are Social Relationships? 182
II. Exploring the Genesis of Social Relationships 182
III. Social Relationships and Health 188
IV. Variations by Race 193
V. The Current State of Theory on Social Relationships 196
VI. Conclusions 197
References 198