Extending Life, Enhancing Life A National Research Agenda on Aging (1991) / Chapter Skim
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4. Behavioral and Social Sciences
4. Behavioral and Social Sciences
Pages 71-87
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From page 71... ...
sociocultural contexts are an important influence on aging processes; Jo) significant variability in aging exists among individuals ant]
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From page 72... ...
Finally, research has clemonstrated the importance of embedding the study of aging in the broader sociocultural context: race, ethnicity, gender, cultural identity, and the social environment. The Dynamic Interaction of Individuals and Sociocultural Contexts Genetic and other biological forces affect individual health and behavior within specific sociocultural contexts.
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First, the characteristics of the setting whether structural or interpersonal factors affect outcome. Second, personal characteristics, such as the individual capacity for cognitive appraisal and coping can, to a degree, compensate for repressive controlling environments.
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Although the risk of functional impairment increases with age ;Manton, 19881, people in their 80s have a 50 percent chance of continuing sufficiently free of disability, so as to be capable of self-care (Katz et al., 1983 1, although this figure decreases as one approaches the late 80s. Older individuals differ in their sense of self-control fRodin et al., 1985; Rodin, 1986)
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· The first priority is investigation of the basic social and psychological processes of aging and the specific mechanisms underlying the interrelationships among social, psychological, behavioral, and biological aging functions. · The second priority is research that addresses issues of population dynamics, including the question of whether morbidity is being postponed commensurate with increases in longevity.
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From page 76... ...
end research on stress-relatec3 environmental, psychological, and hormonal factors that lead to anatomic changes in the brain {see cerebral atrophy under extreme stress: Jensen et al., 1982; Finch, 1987~. Although extensive descriptive literature exists on both physiological and psychological changes in advancing age, only limited information is available on specific behavioral correlates of specific biological changes.
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From page 77... ...
Adopting a life-course perspective that views today's younger adults as tomorrow's older adults should be paired with monitoring social change and the changing sociodemographic and health characteristics of populations. To the extent that children and younger adults at risk can be identified and helped, the elder population of the future will enjoy better health and well-being.
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Equally, this research necessitates detailed analyses of existing databases and the creation of new databases that contain information on health histoties and psychological functioning to allow testing of the reciprocal effects of illness, lifestyles, personality variables, and psychological competence. · Research should be undertaken to study the manner in which social structures and changes in those structures affect aging.
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Because of the social changes experienced in recent decades in the United States, further research is required on stability and change in living arrangements and exchange relationships. The changing structure of families and the implications of these changes for social support and caregiving demand special attention Oppenheimer, 19821.
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From page 80... ...
They must be addressed from a variety of perspectives, and caution is indicated in extrapolating from one cohort to another, particularly concerning expectations, attitudes, and preferences among older people. How social structure may affect psychological and biological aging may be explicated as well by study of the impact of social factors upon control processes that influence an inclividual's sense of effectiveness over the life course fRodin et al., 1985; Rodin et al., in press)
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over time and cohort sequentially; and t3J studies of intervention techniques utilizing the findings of the foregoing research. Tests and Instruments Examples of new anc3 improved measurements include t1J measures of functioning that build on current activities of living scales; j2J psychological and other behavioral assessment techniques that are age fair anc3 culturally fair, such as tests of skills, abilities, knowledge, anc3 capacities appropriate for older people and people in different population subgroups; t3J measures of social contexts such as home, workplace, anc3 community; t4J more accurate ways to measure behavioral and social components of illnesses such as Alzbeimer's disease; t5J improved techniques for longitudinal anc3 cohort analysis; and (6J modeling techniques to facilitate trend prediction.
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. Based on the calculation of the dollars committed to behavioral and social research on aging, an estimate of the capacity for high-quaTity research, and the additional monies necessary to develop the new initiatives identified here, the total budget for age-related behavioral and social research should be increased by more than 100 percent over current expenditures, with the additional funds to be phased in over a 5-year period.
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From page 83... ...
Social and behavioral gender differences in morbidity, particularly as related to chronic conditions, suggest many promising research areas, such as the gencler-specific response to social isolation and psychological disorders; differences in the relation of social supports to functional status; the differential effects of gender in pension income, social role expectations, labor
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From page 84... ...
These dynamics also have major linkages with health services delivery concerns about access, availability of services, financing, system design, and policy formation. However, these issues, particularly as they concern estimates of the health and functional problems most likely to face large numbers of elderly people in the coming clecacles, also have connections to basic biomedical and clinical research in terms of predicting problems and defining important areas of research.
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Ann Arbor: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan. Featherman, D., and R
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1988. Social Change and the Life Course, vols.
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From page 87... ...
Social Structures and Aging: Psychological Processes. Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
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