Sociocultural Differences in Perspectives on Aging
Western cultures think of time in linear terms while other cultures perceive the passage of time in cyclical terms (Helman, 2005). Helman states, “The clock, the watch and the calendar are among the main cultural symbols of Western industrial society” (para. 3). How might a culture’s perception of time influence views of individuals in later adulthood? What other cultural differences might impact a people’s view of aging? This week, you explore different cultures’ perspectives on aging and consider how these differences might impact social work.
To prepare for this Discussion, research two cultures different from your own and compare their perspectives on aging to that of your own culture.
Post a Discussion that compares your culture’s perspective on aging to the perspectives of the two cultures you researched. Explain why you think these differences exist. Also, explain how different perspectives on aging might impact social work practice.
Be sure to support your posts with specific references to the resources. If you are using additional articles, be sure to provide full APA-formatted citations for your references.
References
Tucker-Seeley, R. D., Li, Y., Sorensen, G., & Subramanian, S. V. (2011). Lifecourse socioeconomic circumstances and multimorbidity among older adults. BMC Public Health, 11(4), 313–321.
Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
- Chapter 16, “Sociological Aspects of Later Adulthood”
