Social Enforcement of Behavior Toward Elders in an Appalachian Mountain Settlement

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Abstract
Display of care and attention for elders is enforced to the extent that social institutions exist which sanction the performances of juniors. Case studies of careers to old age in an Appalachian mountain settlement illustrate how such care by a junior is not merely sentimental, but has strategic significance for his future relations within the community. It is suggested that social systems of larger scale lack the public attention to individual behavior which is required for such sanctions to operate. The direction indicated for research and practice is to focus on social control of juniors as a basis for the protection of the aged.

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