Passage
During the 19th century, the industrial revolution led to advances in health care in the United States that resulted in declines in the death rate followed by population growth. Around 1860, the U.S. birth rate also began to steadily decline until reaching its current plateau of about two births per woman during her lifetime. Since 1860, the U.S. birth rate has significantly increased during only one period: the post-World War II era known as the baby boom."Baby boomers," the generation of Americans born roughly between 1946 and 1964, are living longer than any prior generation, and their aging has evolving social and historical significance. By 2030, it is estimated that there will be about 61 million baby boomers in their eighties. In 1950, there were approximately seven times more producers (people age 15-64) than elderly (people age 65 and over) ; by 2030 there are projected to be less than three times more producers than elderly. Providing medical and social care to this aging cohort will have a major negative impact on the American economy due to the costs associated with health care and basic social services.Also impacting the U.S. population distribution is the fact that younger Americans (referred to as "millennials," born roughly between 1982 and 2004) are delaying marriage and children more so than any preceding generation, resulting in declining U.S. fertility rates. Figure 1 compares the U.S. population pyramid in 2000 to a projected population pyramid in 2030.
Figure 1 United States population pyramid from 2000 and a projected population pyramid for 2030
-Based on the information in the passage, a conflict theorist would suggest that the social significance of aging in America is best demonstrated by:

Question

Passage
During the 19th century, the industrial revolution led to advances in health care in the United States that resulted in declines in the death rate followed by population growth. Around 1860, the U.S. birth rate also began to steadily decline until reaching its current plateau of about two births per woman during her lifetime. Since 1860, the U.S. birth rate has significantly increased during only one period: the post-World War II era known as the baby boom."Baby boomers," the generation of Americans born roughly between 1946 and 1964, are living longer than any prior generation, and their aging has evolving social and historical significance. By 2030, it is estimated that there will be about 61 million baby boomers in their eighties. In 1950, there were approximately seven times more producers (people age 15-64) than elderly (people age 65 and over) ; by 2030 there are projected to be less than three times more producers than elderly. Providing medical and social care to this aging cohort will have a major negative impact on the American economy due to the costs associated with health care and basic social services.Also impacting the U.S. population distribution is the fact that younger Americans (referred to as "millennials," born roughly between 1982 and 2004) are delaying marriage and children more so than any preceding generation, resulting in declining U.S. fertility rates. Figure 1 compares the U.S. population pyramid in 2000 to a projected population pyramid in 2030.

Figure 1 United States population pyramid from 2000 and a projected population pyramid for 2030
-Based on the information in the passage, a conflict theorist would suggest that the social significance of aging in America is best demonstrated by:

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

11ecba2d_0cff_86be_a3bf_b7fc460e4625_MD0008_00 The social significance of aging is reflected in how different societies treat and define aging. For example, many Asian societies value the wisdom of age over youth, whereas in Western society youth is highly valued. Expected behaviors corresponding to life stages may also vary. For example, in some societies children routinely contribute to their families by engaging in manual or other paid labor, whereas in Western society children typically do not. Conflict theory is a macro-sociological perspective that focuses on the behavior of social groups rather than the behavior of individuals. According to conflict theory, conflict arises when resources, such as wealth and power, are unequally distributed throughout a society. Conflict theory predicts that class conflict results from members of the highest social classes possessing most of the resources compared to members of the lower classes. The passage describes the potential economic impact of providing medical and social care to aging baby boomers. A conflict theorist would most likely emphasize that this competition between generations for the allocation of limited resources defines the social significance of aging in America. (Choice A) A social constructionist would be more likely to focus on age as a social construct. Therefore, a constructionist (not a conflict theorist) would emphasize how conceptions of "old age" change as people live longer. (Choice B) As a macro-sociological perspective, conflict theory seldom assesses individual interactions between people, such as between doctor and patient. (Choice C) The medicalization of aging by the medical and insurance industries is a potential topic for a conflict theorist, but only as it relates to the uneven distribution of or competition for limited resources. Educational objective: Social significance of aging describes how age is treated and defined in society, and expectations associated with age. Conflict theory is a macro-sociological perspective focusing on how the unequal distribution of resources in society leads to conflict between groups.

Passage During the 19th Century, the Industrial Revolution Led to Advances