Psychological theories

1. Disengagement theory: One of the earliest theories 

• Developed by Elaine cumming and Willaim Henry (cumming and Henry 1961)
• This theory viewed aging as a process through which society and the individual gradually withdraw or disengage from each other.
• Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideas . Years may wrinkle the skin but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. - Samuel Ullman.

2. Activity theory : Proposed by Havighrust (1963)

• Suggest that aged people should continue an active middle-aged lifestyle and should remain as active as possible.
• It suggests that obstacles are to be resisted and that problems involving declining health, loss of roles and responsibilities, reduction in income and diminishing circle of friends are to be overcome.
• It suggests many ways for older people to maintain an active life.
• For most elderly people when physical activity is much reduced, intellectual activities should be emphasized.
• when old friends and relatives are dying or otherwise lost, the establishment of new friendship would be encouraged.

3. Continuity theory: Negatron, 1964

• In spite of aging process, personality and basic patterns of behavior are considered to be constant in the individual.
• Patterns and activity levels develop over a life time will largely determine whether an individual remain engaged and active or disengaged and inactive as they age.
• This theory encourages young people to consider their own future aging process.

4. Social Exchange theory :

• Postulates that social interaction between individuals and groups continues as long as everyone profits from the interaction.
• When there is no longer profit from the social exchange, imbalance occurs in the interaction and one individual is perceived as having more power than the over.
• The decrease in the social interaction of the aged is the result of exchange relationship that gradually erodes the power of the aged.

Environmental Theories :

• The elements in the environments have been considered by the researchers to have an effect on aging phenomena.
• Biologists have considered the effects of the environment on the cellular structure of the human organism.

1. Radiation Theory: Excessive exposure to the suns radiation puts the skin at risk during the somatic mutation process.

2. Stress Theory: According to Perlman (1954), Human aging is a disease syndrome arising from a struggle between environmental stress and biological resistance and relative adaptation to the effects of stress or agents. These stress or agents might include air, pollutants, chemical and psychological and sociological events.

Developmental Theory : 

• Erikson (1963) theorized that person's life consists of eight stages.
• Each stage represents a crucial turning point in life stretching from birth to death, with its own developmental conflicts to be resolved.
• According to him, the major developmental task of old age is either to achieve ego integrity or to suffer despair.