Family values and intergenerational relations in different cultures: A life-span perspective

In this presentation, we ask whether societies experiencing far-reaching demographic, economic, and cultural transformations with rising affluence resulting in rising life expectancy and falling birthrates are facing changes in the family - and more specifically, in family values and intergenerational relations. Based on Georgas’ and Kagitcibasi’s theorizing, a major question asked is whether economic growth, modernization and related individualization processes lead to changing family values in direction of a Western “independent” family model where family members are (relatively) emotionally detached from each other or if rather a “family model of emotional interdependence” where rising personal autonomy is combined with close emotional bonds is taking hold. In this regard, we present results from the international “Value-of-Children and Intergenerational Relations Study” for adolescents as well as for their mothers and grandmothers. Furthermore, we report cross-cultural results on intergenerational relationship quality and intergenerational support. An important question here is whether a longer shared lifespan among generational cohorts of different ages (due to a rising life expectancy) can be an asset in intensifying intergenerational relations, or whether this may be accompanied by higher conflicts. We also present result on the role of values and relationship quality for intergenerational support. Taking a culture- informed and a life-span perspective, results are discussed on the basis of Trommsdorff’s cultural model of intergenerational relations