9699 · 4.2
Age and family life flashcards
Revision flashcards for Cambridge 9699 Age and family life (syllabus 4.2). Flip, recall, then mark a real past-paper question.
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Aries — childhood?
Medieval 'mini-adults' → modern protected, schooled childhood.
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Toxic childhood?
Palmer — technology/commercialisation harms development (debated).
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Beanpole family?
Vertical extension — more generations alive, fewer children per generation.
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Sandwich generation?
Adults caring for children and ageing parents simultaneously.
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Ageing population effect?
More elderly dependants; state vs family care debates.
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Parsons — child socialisation?
Family internalises shared values — personality stabilisation.
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Social Construction of Childhood
The sociological view that childhood is not a fixed, biological stage but a social category created and defined differently across cultures and historical periods. Key theorist: Philippe Ariès.
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Beanpole Family
A multi-generational family structure that is 'long and thin', characterised by many generations (e.g., great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, children) but with few members in each generation (e.g., few siblings or cousins). A result of increased life expectancy and lower birth rates.
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Sandwich Generation
A generation of people, typically in their 40s or 50s, who are simultaneously caring for their dependent children and their ageing parents. This often creates a dual burden of care, which is disproportionately carried by women.
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Infantilisation
A process identified by Hockey and James where elderly people are treated like children, losing their status as independent adults. This can involve being stripped of personal responsibility and choice, particularly in care settings, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of dependency.
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Pester Power
The ability of children to influence their parents' purchasing decisions. It highlights the way children have become active consumers in the market, a key aspect of arguments about the changing nature of childhood and its commercialisation.
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Dependency Ratio
A measure of the number of dependents (aged 0-14 and/or 65+) relative to the working-age population (15-64). A high ratio can indicate economic and social pressure on the workforce.
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Boomerang Children
Young adults who return to live in their parents' home after a period of independent living, often due to economic factors like student debt, high housing costs, or job instability.
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Disengagement Theory
A functionalist theory of ageing (Cumming and Henry) suggesting it is natural and beneficial for society for the elderly to gradually withdraw from their social roles and relationships, allowing a smooth transfer of roles to the younger generation.
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Activity Theory
A theory of ageing that opposes disengagement theory. It argues that remaining physically and socially active is key to life satisfaction and well-being in old age. Lost roles (e.g., from retirement) should be replaced with new ones.