Aging is one important aspect of socialization-the lifelong process through which an individual learns the cultural norms and values of a particular society. There are no clear-cut definitions for different periods of the aging cycle in the United States. Thus while old age has typically been regarded as beginning at 65 which corresponds to the retirement age for many workers not everyone in the United States accepts this definition. With life expectancy being extended writers are beginning to refer to people in their 60s as the ‘’young old’’ to distinguish them from those in their 80s and beyond (the ‘’old old’’). The particular problems of the elderly have become the focus for a specialized area of research and inquiry known as gerontology. Gerontology is the scientific study of the sociological and psychological aspects of aging and the problems of the aged. It originally developed in the 1930s as an increasing number of social scientists became aware of the plight of the elderly. Gerontologists rely heavily on sociological principles and theories to explain the impact of aging on the individual and society. They also draw upon the disciplines of psychology anthropology physical education counseling and medicine in their study of the aging process. Two influential views of aging-disengagement theory and activity theory-can be best understood in terms of the sociological perspectives of functionalism and interactionism respectively. The conflict perspective also contributes to our sociological understanding aging.