Summary readings LFH week 6
Kalmijn, M. (2014). Adult intergenerational relationships.
Using the concept of solidarity, authors also placed intergenerational relations in the debate about
aging: how and is a society able to support the elderly, and what is the ideal division of labor
between intergenerational solidarity inside the family and solidarity between (age) generations
outside of the family. Most studies, especially those written from an aging perspective, have focused
on functional solidarity.
Functional solidarity/support occurs in both directions, from adult children to parents (upward
stream) and from parents to adult children (downward stream). Support is usually distinguished into
instrumental (or practical) support, emotional support, and financial support. Social stratification
plays a role too: in low-status families, there is more informal support exchange between parents
and children than in high-status families.
Associational solidarity = contact with parents.
Research on the subjective dimensions of intergenerational solidarity suggests that both parents and
children, although parents more than children, evaluate their -relationship generally in a positive
way.
Conclusion
Solidarity perspective:
- The solidarity Irrational relationships are generally strong. There is much contact and support
exchange between parents and adult children, but this is highly dependent on the setting
(country differences, ethnic differences), on life course factors (divorce, remarriage, aging)
and on social stratification (education).
- Intensive support of parents by children is not common
- Parents continue to support children when parents are quite old
Conflict, tension and ambivalence:
- Some intergenerational relationships are characterized by tension and conflict
- Ambivalence: positive and negative aspects of parent-child relationships can go hand in hand
Exchange and/or altruism:
- Exchange approach there are costs and benefits involved in engaging in personal
relationships and the balance of these costs and benefits is the main motivation for what
people do in a relationship. Difference between immediate/direct exchange and
intertemporal exchange.
- Altruistic approach people weights the costs and benefits of engaging in intergenerational
relationships, but they also take into account the well-being of others (empathy)
- Elements of exchange for both the parents and the children
- Especially for parents, there is support for the altruistic theories
Marriage, divorce and remarriage:
- Marriage and divorce have important effects on adult intergenerational relations, in
particular for fathers.
- Due to remarriage, fertility in remarriage and second union dissolution, parents can now
have many different types of children. How the ties of these children will develop into
adulthood is not well known
Kalmijn, M. (2014). Adult intergenerational relationships.
Using the concept of solidarity, authors also placed intergenerational relations in the debate about
aging: how and is a society able to support the elderly, and what is the ideal division of labor
between intergenerational solidarity inside the family and solidarity between (age) generations
outside of the family. Most studies, especially those written from an aging perspective, have focused
on functional solidarity.
Functional solidarity/support occurs in both directions, from adult children to parents (upward
stream) and from parents to adult children (downward stream). Support is usually distinguished into
instrumental (or practical) support, emotional support, and financial support. Social stratification
plays a role too: in low-status families, there is more informal support exchange between parents
and children than in high-status families.
Associational solidarity = contact with parents.
Research on the subjective dimensions of intergenerational solidarity suggests that both parents and
children, although parents more than children, evaluate their -relationship generally in a positive
way.
Conclusion
Solidarity perspective:
- The solidarity Irrational relationships are generally strong. There is much contact and support
exchange between parents and adult children, but this is highly dependent on the setting
(country differences, ethnic differences), on life course factors (divorce, remarriage, aging)
and on social stratification (education).
- Intensive support of parents by children is not common
- Parents continue to support children when parents are quite old
Conflict, tension and ambivalence:
- Some intergenerational relationships are characterized by tension and conflict
- Ambivalence: positive and negative aspects of parent-child relationships can go hand in hand
Exchange and/or altruism:
- Exchange approach there are costs and benefits involved in engaging in personal
relationships and the balance of these costs and benefits is the main motivation for what
people do in a relationship. Difference between immediate/direct exchange and
intertemporal exchange.
- Altruistic approach people weights the costs and benefits of engaging in intergenerational
relationships, but they also take into account the well-being of others (empathy)
- Elements of exchange for both the parents and the children
- Especially for parents, there is support for the altruistic theories
Marriage, divorce and remarriage:
- Marriage and divorce have important effects on adult intergenerational relations, in
particular for fathers.
- Due to remarriage, fertility in remarriage and second union dissolution, parents can now
have many different types of children. How the ties of these children will develop into
adulthood is not well known
