Final answer:
The principle of age-graded theory asserts that society stratifies people based on age, influencing access to social resources and dictating norms for behavior and roles within age cohorts. It recognizes a hierarchical system where different age groups have distinct privileges and responsibilities. Moreover, it evaluates how age interacts with other forms of social stratification.
Step-by-step explanation:
The basic principle of age-graded theory, also known as age stratification theory, is predicated upon the idea that society organizes and stratifies people not only by race, class, and gender but also by age. This concept was first articulated by Riley, Johnson, and Foner in 1972. It posits that age is a means of social control that influences the distribution of social resources, such as political and economic power, among various age groups within a society. This theory also contends that each age cohort is governed by societal norms dictating appropriate roles and behaviors. As such, age becomes a basis for a hierarchy where one's abilities, privileges, and responsibilities are framed by their age category.
Furthermore, certain societies may form age sets and age grades, with age sets referring to groups of similarly aged individuals, and age grades indicating levels within a hierarchical system. These age groups facilitate the organization of communities by creating distinct social statuses and roles across different life stages. In addition, this theory has been expanded to critique the broadness of age stratification and its insensitivity to individual variations and intersections with other forms of stratification.