Grandparental investment as a function of relational uncertainty and emotional closeness with parents

Several theoretical perspectives have generated research on grandparental invest-ment, notably socialization and evolutionary psychological perspectives. Using data collected from more than 200 older adults (mean age 67 years), we test three hy-potheses derived from socialization and evolutionary perspectives about grandpar-ents ’ relationships with and investment in grandchildren. Results indicate that (1) emotional closeness with both children and children-in-law is positively related to reports of emotional closeness with grandchildren; (2) maternal grandmothers in-vest more in grandchildren than do other grandparents; and (3) grandparents invest more in daughters ’ children than in sons ’ children. Discussion addresses limitations of self-report methodology in this context and situates the current findings within the body of research indicating the existence of psychological mechanisms designed to guide differential nepotism. KEY WORDS: Emotional closeness; Grandparental investment; Relational uncertainty Several theoretical perspectives have generated predictions about differences be-tween grandparents in the investments they make in their grandchildren. Promi-nently included among these are socialization theories and evolutionary theorie