continuity theory

Definition of Continuity Theory

(noun) Theory asserting that middle-aged and older people adapt their lives to maintain the same activities, social relationships, and ways of thinking (e.g., beliefs, values) as they age.

Examples of Continuity Theory

• An elderly individual continues to run for exercise but does so in a less strenuous manner.
• Middle-aged people that stay in contact with friends from their childhood or university years.

Continuity Theory Pronunciation

Pronunciation Usage Guide

Syllabification: con·ti·nu·i·ty the·o·ry

Audio Pronunciation

International Phonetic Alphabet

• American English – /ˌkɑntəˈnuəti ˈθiəri/
• British English – /ˌkɒntɪˈnju(ː)ɪti ˈθɪəri/

Usage Notes

• Plural: continuity theories
• Continuity theory is compared and contrasted to activity theory and disengagement theory as a functionalist theory of social gerontology.

Related Video

Additional Information

• Aging and Social Gerontology Resources – Books, Journals, and Helpful Links
• Death and Dying Research Resources – Books, Journals, and Helpful Links
• Role Theory Resources – Books, Journals, and Helpful Links
• Word origin of “continuity” and “theory” – Online Etymology Dictionary: etymonline.com
• Atchley, Robert C. 1971. “Retirement and Leisure Participation: Continuity or Crisis?” The Gerontologist 11(1):13–17. doi:10.1093/geront/11.1_part_1.13.
• Atchley, Robert C. 1989. “A Continuity Theory of Normal Aging.” The Gerontologist 29(2):183–90. doi:10.1093/geront/29.2.183.
• Carr, Deborah S., ed. 2009. Encyclopedia of the Life Course and Human Development. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA.
• Gubrium, Jaber F., and James A. Holstein, eds. 2000. Aging and Everyday Life. Malden, MA: Blackwell.
• Lopata, Helena Znaniecka, and Judith A. Levy, eds. 2003. Social Problems Across the Life Course. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
• Neugarten, Bernice L. 1964. Personality in Middle and Late Life: Empirical Studies. New York: Atherton Press.
• Neugarten, Bernice L. 1968. Middle Age and Aging: A Reader in Social Psychology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
• Posner, Richard A. 1995. Aging and Old Age. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
• Purdy, Michael, and David Banks, eds. 2001. The Sociology and Politics of Health: A Reader. London: Routledge.
• Quadagno, Jill S. 2017. Aging and the Life Course: An Introduction to Social Gerontology. 7th ed. Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill.
• Ryff, Carol D., and Victor W. Marshall, eds. 1999. The Self and Society in Aging Processes. New York: Springer.

Related Terms

• activity theory
• ageism
• disengagement theory
• life course
• life expectancy
• relationships
• social gerontology
• status
• theory

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Works Consulted

Griffiths, Heather, Nathan Keirns, Eric Strayer, Susan Cody-Rydzewski, Gail Scaramuzzo, Tommy Sadler, Sally Vyain, Jeff Bry, Faye Jones. 2016. Introduction to Sociology 2e. Houston, TX: OpenStax.

Henslin, James M. 2012. Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach. 10th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Oxford University Press. (N.d.) Oxford Dictionaries. (https://www.oxforddictionaries.com/).

Shepard, Jon M. 2010. Sociology. 11th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Wikipedia contributors. (N.d.) Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. (https://en.wikipedia.org/).

Cite the Definition of Continuity Theory

ASA – American Sociological Association (5th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2013. “continuity theory.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Retrieved January 16, 2025 (https://sociologydictionary.org/continuity-theory/).

APA – American Psychological Association (6th edition)

continuity theory. (2013). In K. Bell (Ed.), Open education sociology dictionary. Retrieved from https://sociologydictionary.org/continuity-theory/

Chicago/Turabian: Author-Date – Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition)

Bell, Kenton, ed. 2013. “continuity theory.” In Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Accessed January 16, 2025. https://sociologydictionary.org/continuity-theory/.

MLA – Modern Language Association (7th edition)

“continuity theory.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary. Ed. Kenton Bell. 2013. Web. 16 Jan. 2025. <https://sociologydictionary.org/continuity-theory/>.