Age segregation facts for kids

Age segregation is when people are separated into groups based on their age. You can see this in many parts of society. For example, schools often separate students by age into different grades. Also, some housing areas are designed only for older adults. Even among teenagers, there can be informal age segregation, where kids mostly hang out with others their own age.

In the United States, schools started grouping students by age between 1848 and 1870. This change happened because of things like factories growing, new laws about child labor, and new ideas in psychology and education. Before this, families often worked together as a unit. But with these changes, work and childcare became more separate. However, some communities, like many Indigenous American groups, have different traditions. They often include children in adult family and community activities.

Some experts, like Peter Uhlenberg, believe that age segregation can be helpful. It brings people with similar interests and needs together. They can share facilities, information, and build networks. But it can also be a problem, especially for older people. They might feel left out of new economic and social changes.

How Age Segregation Affects People

Researchers say that grouping students by age in schools really affects how adolescent peer groups form. It often means teens spend most of their time with others their exact age.

Age and Work

Age segregation also happens in the workplace. This can make it harder for older adults to find new jobs or change careers. Employers might expect them to have a lot more experience or be far from retirement.

Younger Ages and Technology

Even younger kids show some age segregation. Until about age 7 or 8, children often prefer to play with others within two years of their own age. As kids get older, they tend to spend less time with adults. Some studies suggest that age segregation might even grow because younger people are often better with new technology than older adults. It's thought that younger adults might need to teach older adults about new digital ways of living. Without this, the gap between age groups could get bigger.

Connecting Across Ages

To help people connect across different ages, we need more chances for them to interact. The best example of this is the family, where children, parents, and grandparents often have close relationships. How families interact across ages can be different in various cultures. For instance, some lower-income Black families in the United States often have strong connections with relatives, including older adults. These older adults often help care for younger family members in the neighborhood.

Age Segregation Around the World

In Singapore

A study of 390 older people living in special apartments in Singapore found that age segregation greatly affects their quality of life. The study showed that what older people think is important for their happiness is often different from what lawmakers believe.

In the United States

In the United States, people often spend parts of their lives mostly with others their own age. When factories and industries grew, society started to specialize everything, and age became a key way to sort people. Teachers were expected to be experts on certain age groups. Family members had different types of work. People were expected to follow a set path: get an education when young, work in middle age, and then enjoy retirement when old.

This idea of a "fixed life course" became very common. Age-based grades, sports teams, jobs, and hobbies seemed normal. People were expected to spend much of their time with others their own age.

Housing for Older Adults

Age-segregated housing, like retirement villages, can have good points for older people. They might find more in common with their neighbors. It can also give them a sense of safety and protection, as these communities are often very secure. If an older person needs help, they are more likely to be noticed in a community where everyone is older. Also, they might get lower prices for goods and services because many people in their community need similar things.

However, there are also downsides. Living only with people your own age can make older adults feel cut off from the rest of society. It can stop them from sharing their wisdom and experiences with younger people. It might also limit their friendships to only people their age. For some older people, this type of housing can lead to low spirits and feelings of being useless or rejected.

See also

In Spanish: Segregación por edad para niños