"Age is a social construct". How far do you agree with this statement?

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“Age is a social construct”.

 How far do you agree with this statement?

The argument of age being a social construct discusses whether age is inclined to what we’ve learnt or its innate.  This essay will discuss both aspects of age and come to a conclusion referring to the essay above.

Age generally refers to how old a person is, biologically, the biological process which brings about inevitable changes in outlook and behaviour, physical changes in the body, from teenage changes in hormones to elderly changes. However sociologists also point out that age is shaped by cultural norms and social factors, in different cultures age is viewed differently.

By ‘social construction’ sociologists refer to the way that labels or classification are not naturally occurring but they are categories that we create. Saying the age is socially constructed suggests that a persons chronological age is affected by societies norms attached to age groups which in turn means that each group is expected to behave a certain way and to have a certain role. Teenagers aren’t expected to have a lot of responsibility and are expected to keep up with the latest trends, an adult would be expected to work and possibly look after a family.

The biological or physiological perspective of age is that the body changes from with the time, as the physical change occurs the behaviour would change to follow the behaviour that our genes are programmed too, behaviour which would then get us to conform to society. An elderly man would become slow and boring because he genes were programmed that way.

The first process is the conception of the child, were the baby is born and is the beginning. The child then comes across puberty, which is when the child matures into an adult. These are physical changes such as girls developing breasts and the start of the menstruation cycle, for boys it is the growth of the penis, his voice deepens. Both experience hair growth and changes in body size, for example, girls, curves and hips, for boys the broadening of the shoulders. The most important aspect of puberty for girls is the menstruation cycle and for boys it is their first ejaculation for this marks their ability to reproduce which completes the transition from child to adult in many cultures.

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When the body has matured fully it will slowly start to deteriorate, the oncoming of old age. The body will decline, involves decrease in muscle tone, reflexes, physical strength and energy. There is also the slow lose  of vision, hearing, and other senses; fertility and potency; baldness, hair colour, and the smoothness of skin and the efficiency of the immune system.. The mental side of old age includes loss of memory, reduction in reckless physical courage and in sexual desire, impairment of puzzle and problem-solving ability, and reduced willingness to be adventurous.  Women experience a specific transition, menopause, which ...

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