Social Gerontology Theory

This paper presents a review of social theories of aging including early theories based on role, disengagement, activity, and continuity, and more recent theories based on modernization, feminism, gerotranscendence, and interactionism. The elements, assumptions and possible biases, and strengths and weaknesses of each major theory are discussed. Since gerontology is multidisciplinary, the variety of theoretical perspectives can be viewed as a strength of this particular field. Similarly, the theories have foci representing micro and macro approaches, functional and conflict approaches, social structural and social psychological approaches, and historical and economic approaches. The possibility of Euro-centric and male-centric biases of theory should not be ignored. Cross-cultural research can further contribute to refining and strengthening the social gerontology knowledge base and its value informing a wider diversity of areas, including public health and medicine.