TY - JOUR

T1 - Variations in Grandchildren's Perceptions of their Grandfathers and Grandmothers

T2 - Dynamics of Age and Gender

AU - Mann, Robin

AU - Khan, Hafiz

AU - Leeson, George

PY - 2013/11/22

Y1 - 2013/11/22

N2 - In this article, we investigate grandchildren's perceptions of their relations with grandfathers and grandmothers. There is very little research examining grandchild-grandparent relationships from the perspective of grandchildren. Research on grandparenthood and multigenerational families has consistently suggested that it is maternal grandmothers and granddaughters who have the closest relationships. We question this finding by pointing to the significant variations by age and gender in grandchildren's perceptions of the grandparents, both with whom they have most contact and with whom they get on best. Matrilineal advantage toward maternal grandmothers is less obvious for the older grandchildren within our sample and even less so for older grandsons. Grandsons ages 12 and over are more likely to perceive maternal grandfathers as the grandparent they get on best. Thus, the perceived salience of grandfathers relative to grandmothers varied significantly by age and gender of grandchild. The findings support the importance of a multidimensional construct of intergenerational solidarity, distinguished in our cases between the associational and affectual solidarity dimensions, as developed by Bengtson and others, which allows us to understand why a grandchild could have more contact with one grandparent, yet feel closer to another.

AB - In this article, we investigate grandchildren's perceptions of their relations with grandfathers and grandmothers. There is very little research examining grandchild-grandparent relationships from the perspective of grandchildren. Research on grandparenthood and multigenerational families has consistently suggested that it is maternal grandmothers and granddaughters who have the closest relationships. We question this finding by pointing to the significant variations by age and gender in grandchildren's perceptions of the grandparents, both with whom they have most contact and with whom they get on best. Matrilineal advantage toward maternal grandmothers is less obvious for the older grandchildren within our sample and even less so for older grandsons. Grandsons ages 12 and over are more likely to perceive maternal grandfathers as the grandparent they get on best. Thus, the perceived salience of grandfathers relative to grandmothers varied significantly by age and gender of grandchild. The findings support the importance of a multidimensional construct of intergenerational solidarity, distinguished in our cases between the associational and affectual solidarity dimensions, as developed by Bengtson and others, which allows us to understand why a grandchild could have more contact with one grandparent, yet feel closer to another.

U2 - 10.1080/15350770.2013.839326

DO - 10.1080/15350770.2013.839326

M3 - Article

VL - 11

SP - 380

EP - 395

JO - Journal of Intergenerational Relationships

JF - Journal of Intergenerational Relationships

SN - 1535-0932

IS - 4

ER -