Q: Continuity theory and disengagement theory are aligned with the functionalist perspective.
A: TRUE
The functionalist perspective conceived society as mirroring a biological entity such that all component parts such as the family, work, and education were interrelated to produce a stable and ordered society.
This dominant paradigm, combined with a concern about population ageing as a social problem, produced a series of interlinked theories:
Disengagement Theory
Activity Theory
Continuity Theory
The disengagement theory of aging, developed by Cummings and Henry in the late 1950s, proposes that as people grow older and realize death is near, they begin to disengage from their previously held social roles in society. In return, society recognizes the inevitable and prepares to function in the absence of that individual.
In response to the disengagement theory, Robert J Havighurst developed another aging theory, the activity theory. The activity theory claims that staying mentally and physically active will increase happiness among older adults. He argued that instead of an elderly person disengaging from their community, they should remain active and social. These active lifestyles allow aging populations to socialize with others, which increases feelings of self-worth and pleasure that are both important for life longevity.
The continuity theory states that aging adults will usually maintain the same activities, behaviors, personality traits, and relationships as they did in the earlier years of life. They maintain both:
Internal structures, such as personality traits, ideas, and beliefs
External structures, such as relationships and social roles
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