The Relation of the Elderly and Poverty to the Disciplines of Psychology - Paper Example

Introduction

The sociological perspective tries to focus on the human brain, mainly by assessing how it performs its activities, develops its function in relation to the associated problem (Pal & Palacios, 2011). According to the psychological perspective, poverty among the elderly can be linked to a number of psychological or biological factors this includes. First, brain and cognition. People who were raised in extreme poverty during their childhood experienced extreme effects in their neurological activity and their cognitive abilities. This reduced their brain activity and cognitive functioning across various fields. Most of these effects were found in the regulation of cognitive resources, such as planning and paying attention. These effects are linked the increased poverty among the elderly they hindered various key needs such as educational attainment, and employment opportunities which are perceived to play a major role in eliminating poverty in the society. Elderly poverty can, therefore, be associated with the psychological state that one experiences from time to time. When resources are scarce in the society, people's attention tends narrow, forcing them to focus on the immediate task at hand instead of the long term task of planning.

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Secondly, genes and environment. Various genetic techniques have confirmed that the inheritability of a certain social, economic status is high within the society. Inheriting a low social economic status environment reduces ones cognitive development thus preventing the individuals raised in poverty from attaining their full genetically capabilities. Therefore the elderly individuals experiencing extreme poverty may have inherited a low social, economic status environment from their parents, thus hindering their chances of becoming rich or having no financial problems when they attain retirement age. Thirdly, mental health the sociological perspective claims that there is a huge link between social, economic status mood and anxiety disorders, schizophrenia and drug and substance abuse. Individuals who were brought up in the low social, economic background tend to have a high possibility of having this mental disorders or indulging in substance abuse as a result of stress, and lack of the basic needs. Developing mental disorders and engaging in substance use tends to reduce ones possibility to attain the needed professional and educational prospects. Failure to attain this prospects plays a key role in causing poverty in the old age since one did have any particular source of income to sustain them.

Similarity and Differences between the Discipline of Psychology and Sociology

Similarities

There are a few similarities between the psychological perspective and the psychological perspective. One of the similarities that have been identified is that the failure to attain the needed educational and professional prospects. For instance, not getting a good employment opportunity plays a key role in causing poverty when one reaches the retirement years. People who never attained any educational qualification are considered to have not earned any employment opportunity; therefore, they did not have enough capital to save for their future needs or use.

Differences

There are numerous differences between both the psychological perspective and the psychological perspective. The sociological perspective tends to focus on the organization and structure of the society and how it relates to the existing social problem affecting people's lives. For instance, the sociologic perspective tries to focus on two main factors which include the demographic characteristics and the social structure characteristics that trigger the occurrence of poverty among the elderly. The sociological perspective tries to focus on the human brain, mainly by assessing how it performs its activities, develops its function in relation to the associated problem. Sociological perspective tends to assess the biological factors that can cause poverty among the elderly, for instance, peoples genetic and environment, mental health and brain and cognition.

Reflection on How I See Myself as a Student

I tend to see myself as an individual who is not likely to experience poverty after attaining my retirement age. Some of the main reasons why I consider myself to have a successful future is that I have been brought up in a well up family that had no social, economic challenges during my upbringing, this motivated me to be focused towards my future goals so I can attain the same economic status as my parents. I have also had a chance to get a good education attainment, which acts as a clear indicator that I am likely to get a good and well-paying employment opportunity. Attaining good employment opportunity means that I am likely to be subjected to a good monthly payment and high retirement benefits. Considering these factors, I am less likely to experience poverty after may retirements since I wall have done enough resource planning and preparation to ensure that I will not have any challenges.

Conclusion

Three has always been a huge relation between the elderly and increased poverty levels across the globe. Currently, the poverty levels experienced among the elderly is perceived to be high compared to that of the general population. Poverty among the elderly is believed to be caused by two main factors that include; first, the social structural characteristics and the social demographic characteristics. The issue of the elderly and poverty also related to the field of sociology in various ways that include, first, poverty is caused by the existing individual agencies such as moral failure and ethical background. Secondly, poverty among the elderly can be understood by analyzing the distribution of opportunities and resources. On the other hand, the issue of elderly and poverty relates to the psychological perspective. The psychological perspective indicates that poverty occurs due to various factors such as the genetic and environmental facts, mental health disorders, and brain and cognition.