Social Division Of Age Is Socially Constructed Essay

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1. Introduction All sociologists can agree that the social division of age is socially constructed. Age is socially constructed as the way we understand it changes through time and over space in different cultures. Our views on the socially constructed social division of age can be based on ideologies, beliefs, language, media representations and micro-level interactions we have with others; our conception may also be warped by other social divisions such as class, gender, disability and ethnicity. The age of adulthood is still socially constructed and important in the understanding of socially constructed divisions, however, this essay will focus on the social construction of childhood and old age. 2. Childhood World leading expert on child psychology, Jerome Kagan, once mentioned in his book ‘Nature of the Child’ that experience is just as important as biology for a child’s development. The social construction of childhood has changed drastically throughout the centuries, which will be explored in this essay. I. The Social History of Childhood…show more content…
In medieval civilization, children were looked after until they were between the ages of 5 and 7 (Heywood, 2001). Once they had reached this age, they were no longer seen as child, but a small, imperfect adult. They joined adult games and pastimes. They were also put to work and had daily routines. Even though the ‘small adults’ started working at ages as young as 5, they were given jobs with little responsibility, for example, they would complete household chores or shepherding. As they grew older so did their responsibilities, and would have more important jobs such as a formal apprentice or work on the fields. The ‘imperfect adults’ were also compelled to follow the footsteps of their parents; their occupation was already mapped out for
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