Explain and briefly evaluate the view that age is the most important source of an individual’s identity.  (24 marks)

Whilst age can be considered from a chronological (biological) perspective, it is arguable that age identity is a social construction; it is learned through the processes of primary and secondary socialisation.  Age identities are broadly separated into childhood, youth, middle age and old age.  These may feature in individuals at different points in their life course depending on their cultural exposure.  Age therefore could be considered to be one major factor in social actors’ identity formation. Childhood is widely considered to be a specially protected and privileged time of life.  This is reinforced by the family as an agent of primary socialisation.  Parents are increasingly aware of perceived risks to their children and are reacting with increased monitoring and control (Garder et al).  These messages are reinforced through secondary socialisation via the media, for example scaremongering and exaggeration of the risks.  Furthermore, the law places restrictions on children’s behaviour and the themes they are exposed to, for example sex, smoking and age ratings on games and films.

The concept of age identity is challenged by people who feel it has become a negative label, used to stigmatise the elderly.  Victor (2005) describes old age as a homogenous category associated with dependency and loneliness.  Individuals absorb messages about old age from media sources with a particular emphasis on advertisements which reinforce the message that old age should be resisted with hair dye and anti-ageing creams.  In recent years, cosmetic surgery has become more accessible and there is a clear under-representation of older women on entertainment shows but the same does not appear to be the case for men, demonstrating a difference in influences on gender identity.  There is disproportionate media coverage when the elderly are victims of crime, portraying them as weak and vulnerable, dependent on younger family members.