After completing this chapter, the student will be able to:

1. Describe social gerontology and explain how it is related to the broader field of gerontology.
2. Define old age and explain what difference the definition makes.
3. Define cohort and explain why social gerontologists interested in cohorts.
4. Describe the life course framework and explain how it is useful to gerontologists.
5. Define ageism and explain how it is perpetuated.