{{Short description|Separation of people based on age}} '''Age segregation''' is the separation of people based on their age, and may be observed in many aspects of some societies.<ref>L Steinberg, ''Adolescence'' (4th edition, 1996)</ref> Examples of institutionalized age segregation include age segregation in schools, and age-segregated housing. There are studies of informal age segregation among adolescents.<ref name="springer1">{{Cite journal|last1=Montemayor|first1=Raymond|last2=Komen|first2=Roger Van|date=1980-10-01|title=Age segregation of adolescents in and out of school|journal=Journal of Youth and Adolescence|language=en|volume=9|issue=5|pages=371–381|doi=10.1007/BF02087675|pmid=24318198|s2cid=21286484|issn=0047-2891}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/evolutionaryprin0000weis|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/evolutionaryprin0000weis/page/105 105]|quote=age segregation adolescents.|title=Evolutionary Principles of Human Adolescence|last=Weisfeld|first=Glenn|date=1999-05-31|publisher=Basic Books|isbn=9780813333182|language=en}}</ref> Age segregation in schools, age grading, or graded education is the separation of students into years of education (grades, forms) by approximately the same age.
In the United States, graded education was introduced during 1848 to 1870.<ref>Frederick Dean McClusky, "Introduction of Grading into the Public Schools of New England, Part II", ''The Elementary School Journal'', Vol. 21, No. 2 (October 1920), pp. 132-145</ref> Age segregation in the U.S. was a product of industrialization, Western formal schooling, child labor laws, social services agencies, and the rise of disciplines such as psychology and education. A combination of these caused a shift from family working as a unit to separation of economic activities and childcare emerged.<ref name=":1">Rogoff, B., Glida, M. and Chavajay, P. (2010). Children's Integration in Communities and Segregation From People of Differing Ages. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 5(4), pp.431-440</ref> Some communities have different cultural practices and integrate children into mature activities of the family and community. This is common among Indigenous American communities.
Age segregation is seen by some like Peter Uhlenberg and Jenny Gierveld to benefit individuals by bringing like-minded individuals together to share similar facilities, network and information.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Uhlenberg|first1=Peter|last2=Gierveld|first2=Jenny|date=28 January 2004|title=Age-segregation in later life: an examination of personal networks|journal=Ageing and Society|volume=24|issue=1|pages=5–28|doi=10.1017/S0144686X0300151X|hdl=1871/23151|s2cid=4231977|url=https://research.vu.nl/ws/files/1967581/168747.pdf}}</ref> The elderly are however disadvantaged by segregation in that they risk being excluded from economic and social developments.<ref name=":0" />
==Effects of age segregation==
Researchers have argued that age grading in school has significant impact on age segregation among adolescent peer groups.<ref name="springer1" /> It is also present in the work force, which can make it more difficult for older adults to find jobs or change employment paths because of their age. They are often either expected to have a significantly larger background of experience in the field, or be far enough away from retirement to be considered.<ref>Pekka Ilmakunnas, Seija Ilmakunnas, (2014) "Age segregation and hiring of older employees: low mobility revisited", Vol. 35 Issue: 8, pp.1090-1115, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJM-04-2012-0060</ref> Although seen less in younger adults and children, there is evidence{{Specify|date=January 2019}} that younger populations segregate within themselves. Until around ages 7 and 8, children tend to only associate with people within 2 years of their own age. Children mostly segregate from adults, showing less adult interaction as they move into their teenage and young adult years.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Ellis|first1=Shari|last2=Rogoff|first2=Barbara|last3=Cromer|first3=Cindy C.|date=1981|title=Age segregation in children's social interactions.|journal=Developmental Psychology|volume=17|issue=4|pages=399–407|doi=10.1037/0012-1649.17.4.399|issn=0012-1649}}</ref> Studies suggest that the gap in age segregation will grow because of technological knowledge seen in younger adults that is not seen in older adults. It is predicted that younger adults will have to teach older adults about new social environments that will be essential to healthy living. Without these teachings, age segregation is set to increase.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Uhlenberg|first1=Peter|last2=Gierveld|first2=Jenny De Jong|date=January 2004|title=Age-segregation in later life: an examination of personal networks|journal=Ageing & Society|language=en|volume=24|issue=1|pages=5–28|doi=10.1017/S0144686X0300151X|issn=1469-1779|hdl=1871/23151|s2cid=4231977|url=https://research.vu.nl/ws/files/1967581/168747.pdf}}</ref>
Some of the prospects for designing social life to overcome the entrenched practices of age segregation and the cultural assumptions through the life course is through a steady flock of opportunities for cross-age interaction, some settings facilitate age-integrated social relations. The most distinguished example is the family, in which children, parents, and grandparents frequently develop close cross-age relationships. Age relations within families vary across cultures and subcultures. According to Uhlenberg and Gierveld, many lower class black families in the United States have high levels of interaction with kin, and older adults. This often provides significant care for younger members in the neighborhood.<ref name=":0" />
== By continent == === Asia === A statistical analysis of survey data of 390 elderly people living in studio apartments in Singapore found that age-segregation has a negative impact on the quality of life of elderly people. The study also found that the perception of the elderly in relation to factors that are most important to their quality of life is at variance with that of policy makers.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Addae-Dapaah |first=Kwame |date=2008-06-16 |title=Age Segregation and the Quality of Life of the Elderly People in Studio Apartments |url=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02763890802097151 |journal=Journal of Housing for the Elderly |language=en |volume=22 |issue=1–2 |pages=127–161 |doi=10.1080/02763890802097151 |bibcode=2008JHouE..22..127A |issn=0276-3893|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
No kid zones are places in South Korea that prohibit children from being on the premises. No kid zones may be enforced by public venues and private businesses.<ref name="TST">{{cite web |title=South Korean lawmaker's call to abolish 'no-kids zones' sparks controversy |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/south-korean-lawmaker-s-call-to-abolish-no-kids-zones-sparks-controversy |website=The Straits Times |date=5 May 2023 |access-date=13 July 2024}}</ref> These businesses are not limited to those intended to only serve adult customers such as bars; no kid zones are frequently coffeehouses, restaurants,<ref name="ABC">{{cite web |last1=Oaten |first1=James |last2=Lee|first2=Sookyoung|title=In South Korea, child-free zones are increasingly popular, but parents say it's holding back the next generation |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-02/inside-south-korea-child-free-zones/103139230 |website=ABC News |date=December 2023 |access-date=12 July 2024}}</ref> and movie theatres.<ref name="Esther">{{cite web |last1=Chung |first1=Esther |title=Parents learn to adapt to world of kid-free zones: Once controversial, the designation is now more accepted |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2020/01/12/features/Parents-learn-to-adapt-to-world-of-kidfree-zones-Once-controversial-the-designation-is-now-more-accepted/3072509.html |website=Korea JoongAng Daily |date=12 January 2020 |access-date=14 July 2024}}</ref> The National Library of Korea is a no kid zone and prevents children under the age of 16 from entering unless they apply for entry.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Yu-Young |first1=Jin |title=South Korea Wants More Babies, Just Not in These Places |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/world/asia/korea-no-kids-zones.html |website=The New York Times |date=16 May 2023 |access-date=13 July 2024}}</ref><ref name="weekly.khan.co.kr">{{Cite web |last=주 |first=영재 |date=2024-03-04 |title=[취재 후]노키즈존 국립중앙도서관 최선일까 |url=https://weekly.khan.co.kr/khnm.html/?mode=view&dept=115&art_id=202402270600021 |access-date=2024-07-13 |website={{ill|Weekly Kyunghyang|ko|주간경향}} |language=ko}}</ref> Children under this age may instead go to the National Library for Children and Young Adults.<ref name="weekly.khan.co.kr" /> There are a number of reported reasons for enacting no kid zones. In a 2023 survey, the most commonly given reason (68% of respondents) was fear of legal liability if a child was injured.<ref>{{Cite web |last=정 |first=아임 |date=2024-03-25 |title="덜 짜게" "계란말이 공짜로" 부모 요구에 질려 노키즈존 선언한 유명 식당 |url=https://www.chosun.com/national/national_general/2024/03/25/6DELMKTFPBAW5KHLSZMVJ3MZ7Q/ |access-date=2024-07-13 |website=The Chosun Ilbo |language=ko}}</ref> Some businesses enact such zones to avoid disturbing adult patrons.<ref name="KH">{{cite web |last1=Jung |first1=Min-kyung |date=June 10, 2023 |title=Inside the debate on 'no-kids zones' |url=https://koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230609000677 |access-date=12 July 2024 |website=The Korea Herald}}</ref> Other businesses may restrict customers of other ages such as teenagers or seniors.<ref name="CNN">{{cite web |last1=Lau |first1=Chris |last2=Kwon |first2=Jake |last3=Kim |first3=Nayoon |title=In country with world's lowest fertility rate, doubts creep in about wisdom of 'no-kids zones' |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/24/asia/south-korea-no-kids-zone-intl-hnk-dst |access-date=12 July 2024 |website=CNN|date=25 June 2023 }}</ref> Exclusionary policies may also be enforced by businesses based on gender, relationship status, or occupation.<ref name="Yang">{{cite web |last1=Yang |first1=Haley |title=From 'no kids zones' to 'no ajae zones' — where does society draw the line? |url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/03/15/culture/features/no-kids-zone-discrimination-discrimination-in-Korea/20220315170751594.html |website=Korea JoongAng daily |date=15 March 2022 |access-date=14 July 2024}}</ref>
=== Europe === Some sections on airplanes may be prohibited to children under the age of 16. Tickets for these adult-only zones are more expensive.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barghiel |first1=Naomi |title=European airline introduces kid-free zone on flights. Is Canada next? |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9929216/european-airline-child-free-zone-canada |website=Global News |access-date=13 July 2024}}</ref> Corendon, a Turkish airline that offers such seating on certain flights, places families with children at the back of the plane.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ayoola |first1=Elizabeth |title=Are Kid-Free Zones On Planes A Good Idea Or Unfair To Parents? |url=https://www.essence.com/lifestyle/kid-free-zone/ |website=Essence |date=8 September 2023 |access-date=13 July 2024}}</ref>
Some hotels in Europe, particularly in Germany, prohibit children.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Divac |first1=Natasha |title=These German Vacationers Don't Take Kindly to the Kinder |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/for-these-german-vacationers-kids-are-verboten-1454288459 |website=The Wall Street Journal |date=February 2016 |access-date=30 July 2024}}</ref> Approximately 500 adult-only hotels have been identified.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bayly |first1=Lucy |title=No Kids, Please. We're German: Some Hotels Ban Children |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/ncna516821 |website=NBC News |date=11 February 2016 |access-date=30 July 2024}}</ref> Portugal prohibits these exclusionary policies by law but many hotels still enforce them.<ref>{{cite web |title="Illegal" adult-only hotels a "growing trend" in Portugal |url=https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2023-07-17/illegal-adult-only-hotels-a-growing-trend-in-portugal/79574 |website=Portugal News |access-date=30 July 2024}}</ref>
Betting shops in the United Kingdom and Ireland prohibit children under 18 on their premises.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.whichbookie.co.uk/general-questions/can-you-take-a-child-into-a-bookmakers/ |title=Can You Take a Child into a Bookmakers |website=Which Bookie? |date=21 December 2018 | access-date=1 August 2024}}</ref>
=== North America === In the United States some portions of a person's life involves being with the same age cohort. Industrialization brought an increased specialization of all kinds, and age was an important category used to sort people. Society expected teachers to be experts on a particular age group, family members to specialize in different kinds of work, and people to move through major life roles in a fixed pattern. The work force involvement of older women and men declined, and it was replaced by leisure retirement. Martin Kohli argues that over the length of the twentieth century, age was enormously used to assign people to or prohibit them from particular activities. The result was a tendency toward a firmly fixed life course. According to Riley and Riley, this tendency toward age-segregated structures began to approximate the age-differentiated "ideal type" structure in which people gain their education when young, work in middle-age, and enjoy their well-earned leisure time when they are old. Age-based grades, teams, jobs, and leisure activities seemed normal; people were expected to spend major portions of their days and lives with people of their own age.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/age-integration-and-age-segregation|title=Age Integration and Age Segregation|website=Encyclopedia.com, Encyclopedia of Aging|language=en|access-date=2018-03-28}}</ref>
In a 2010 article for ''Perspectives on Psychological Science'', authors Rogoff et al. state that age-segregated housing can hold some advantages for the elderly such as a higher chance of having more things in common with their peers. This segregation can also decrease their involvement with societies that are preoccupied with the desirability of youth and give them the ability to discuss their fears of death and the frequent deaths of others. Some retirement villages are heavily secured, which can give the elders a sense of safety and protection. An older person is more likely to be noticed in an age segregated community if he or she is in need of help. The elderly people living in such a community also receive lower rates because of the quantity of similar goods and services needed by their communities. Some of the disadvantages of age-segregated housing are isolation from mainstream society, preventing older people from sharing wisdom and experiences with younger people and leading old people to have restricted sets of friendships and neighbors. In some elderly people age-segregated housing can contribute to low morale and feelings of uselessness and rejection.<ref name=":1" />
Hotels in the United States are legally allowed to prohibit children but rarely do so. Adult-only venues are often resort hotels or small inns. American hotels are more likely to encourage families with children to stay in certain areas instead of excluding them outright.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wade |first1=Betsy |title=PRACTICAL TRAVELER; At Some Hotels, It's Adults Only |work=The New York Times |date=3 December 2000 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/03/travel/practical-traveler-at-some-hotels-it-s-adults-only.html |access-date=30 July 2024}}</ref>
== See also == * Childism
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Segregation by type}} {{Discrimination}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Age Segregation}} Category:Age and society Category:Segregation Category:Ageism