By Is retirement mandatory? Should ageing adults continue their daily activities? Should they retire and relax?
Continuity versus discontinuity is one of the most debated issues in developmental psychology. Is human development continuous? Or is it marked by age-specific period? This unanswered question is the core of continuity versus discontinuity debate.
Continuity theory
Proponents of the continuity model describe development as a smooth process. By this, life is without any sharp or distinct stages through which an individual must pass.
Continuity theory of ageing states that to successfully age, people must maintain continuity. Ageing adults must maintain balance and change; internal aspects like personality and faiths should remain the same. That applies to external factors like relationships and social roles too. Life structure of ageing adults must stay in a continuous flow for successful ageing. Basically, nothing should change.
Discontinuity theory
Proponents of discontinuity theory describe development as a series of discrete stages. Each stage characterised by tasks that an individual must accomplish before progressing into the next phase.
Discontinuity theory holds that mutual withdrawal is necessary. And, older adults should voluntarily slow down by retiring. It is as expected by society and benefits both individual and institutes. In many communities, actions of discontinuity on the ageing is a rule and continuity is an exception. However, in some case scenario, we can study discontinuity regarded as development too.
| Continuity theory | Discontinuity theory |
| There is a positive correlation between staying active and ageing well. | Ageing is a process of mutual withdrawal in which older adults voluntarily slow down by retiring as expected by society. |
| Ageing can be made better by remaining active. Withdrawal brings underuse of human potential. | Ageing brings a gradual reduction in social involvement and greater preoccupation with the self. |
| Mutual social withdrawal occurs only in societies where the elderly have no established roles appropriate to their stage of life. | A mutual social withdrawal benefits both individuals and society. The disengagement is a universal condition of ageing.
|
To sum up, and justify both the theories, we can exemplify two personalities: individuals who lived an active life and individuals who remained less active.
Individuals who led an active life as young and middle adults will remain active as an older adult. Thus justifying the continuity theory. On the other hand, less active individuals will become more disengaged. And slow down by retiring. Thus backing the discontinuity theory.
Generalization of successful ageing does not seem like a good idea. We observe either continuity or discontinuity on an individual’s behaviour depending upon their individual differences.
Developmental changes can relate to both. And we can explain ageing without attaching positive and negative attributes. Both continuity and discontinuity portrayed as a continuum are inside of normative ageing.
And social theories of ageing have attributed values to both of them. Continuity and discontinuity, thus, are merely conditions for normative ageing. If we exclude these theories as an attribute, we see old age as just another period in life.
Neither better nor worse than any other periods in life, ageing is just another phase.
So, is retirement mandatory? Continuity theory says we should continue doing whatever we do, as far as we can. Discontinuity theory says we must retire. Because that’s the rule. It really just depends on how you feel about your work and how you would like to age. So the answer to ‘is retirement mandatory’ is up to your body, emotion, and decision.
References
Koren, C. (2011). Continuity and discontinuity: The case of the second couplehood in old age. Gerontologist, 51(5), 687–698. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnr018
Papalia, D. E., Olds, S. W., & Feldman, R. D. (2009). Human Development (11th ed.). http://hdr.undp.org/en/data
Zgourides, G. (2017). Developmental psychology. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781315380797
Read More Writings by Jyotsna:
Follow Offline Thinker on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can send us your writings at connect.offlinethinker@gmail.com
