Toward a Socio-Environmental Theory of Aging

Abstract

Explanatory problems of activity and disengagement theories of aging necessitate a re-examination of their theoretical assumptions about the social behavior of old people together with propositions and hypotheses. As an outcome of intensive interviews with 210 persons, age 60 to 94, in various types of residential settings, a new socio-environmental theory of aging is proposed. The theory is built around the inter-relationship of two conceptual components: (1) environmental effects such as social homogeneity, residential proximity, and local protectiveness; and (2) personal resources influencing behavior flexibility such as health, solvency, and education. Specific attention is given to a socio-environmental approach to criminal victimization in old age, with suggested hypotheses.

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