Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-5xszh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T06:05:37.828Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Balancing generations: on the strength and character of family norms in the West and East of Europe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2011

SVEIN OLAV DAATLAND*
Affiliation:
Norweigan Social Research (Nova), Oslo, Norway.
KATHARINA HERLOFSON
Affiliation:
Norweigan Social Research (Nova), Oslo, Norway.
IVAR A. LIMA
Affiliation:
Norweigan Social Research (Nova), Oslo, Norway.
*
Address for correspondence: Svein Olav Daatland, NOVA, PO Box 3223, Elisenberg, 0208 Oslo, Norway. E-mail: svein.o.daatland@nova.no

Abstract

This article explores the strength and character of responsibility norms between older parents and adult children in a European context. Data from the ‘Generations and Gender Survey’ are analysed to compare seven countries from the North West to the South East of Europe: Norway, Germany, France, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia and Georgia. Norm strength is measured as the level of support for filial and parental responsibility norms. Character differences are indicated by how conditional the norms are, and how they are balanced between the younger and older generations. The general findings are in line with the family culture hypothesis – family norms are stronger towards the East and South of the continent, with Norway and Georgia as the extreme cases. National differences are considerable for filial norms, but moderate for parental norms. Parental responsibility is relatively stronger in the North West, filial responsibility in the South East. Family norms have a more open character in the West, where the limits to responsibility are widely recognised. Women are less supportive of family obligations than men. It is suggested that where the welfare state is more developed, it has moderated the demanding character of family obligations and allowed a more independent relationship between the generations to form. The level of support for filial obligation is for these reasons a poor indicator for family cohesion in more developed welfare states.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bengtson, V. L. and Roberts, R. E. L. 1991. Intergenerational solidarity in aging families: an example of formal theory construction. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 53, 4, 856–70.Google Scholar
Blome, A., Keck, W. and Alber, J. 2009. Family and the Welfare State in Europe: Intergenerational Relations in Ageing Societies. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, UK.Google Scholar
Brody, E. M., Johnson, P. T. and Fulcomer, M. C. 1984. What should adult children do for elderly parents? Opinions and preferences of three generations of women. Journal of Gerontology, 39, 6, 736–46.Google Scholar
Brody, E. M., Johnson, P. T., Fulcomer, M. C. and Lang, A. M. 1983. Women's changing roles and help to elderly parents: attitudes of three generations of women. Journal of Gerontology, 38, 5, 597607.Google Scholar
Burr, J. A. and Mutchler, J. E. 1999. Race and ethnic variation in norms of filial responsibility among older persons. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61, 3, 674–87.Google Scholar
Cantor, M. and Little, V. 1985. Aging and social care. In Binstock, R. H. and Shanas, E. (eds), Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 745–81.Google Scholar
Connidis, I. 1983. Living arrangement choices of older residents: assessing quantitative results with qualitative data. Canadian Journal of Sociology, 8, 4, 359–75.Google Scholar
Connidis, I. and McMullin, J. A. 2002. Sociological ambivalence and family ties: a critical perspective. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 64, 3, 558–67.Google Scholar
Cowgill, D. O. and Holmes, L. D. 1972. Aging and Modernization. Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York.Google Scholar
Daatland, S. O. 1990. What are families for? On family solidarity and preferences for help. Ageing & Society, 10, 1, 115.Google Scholar
Daatland, S. O. 2009. How to balance generations: solidarity dilemmas in a European perspective. In Edmondson, R. and Kondratowitz, H.-J. von (eds), Valuing Older People: A Humanist Approach to Ageing. Policy Press, Bristol, UK, 123–38.Google Scholar
Daatland, S. O. and Herlofson, K. 2003. ‘Lost solidarity’ or ‘changed solidarity’? A comparative European view on normative family solidarity. Ageing & Society, 23, 5, 537–60.Google Scholar
De Valk, H. A. G. and Schans, D. 2008. ‘They ought to do this for their parents’: perceptions of filial obligations among immigrant and Dutch older people. Ageing & Society, 28, 1, 4966.Google Scholar
De Vries, J., Kalmijn, M. and Liefbroer, A. C. 2009. Intergenerational transmission of kinship norms? Evidence from siblings in a multi-actor survey. Social Science Research, 38, 1, 188200.Google Scholar
Esping-Andersen, G. 1999. Social Foundations of Postindustrial Economies. Oxford University Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Finch, J. 1989. Family Obligations and Social Change. Polity, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Finch, J. and Mason, J. 1993. Negotiating Family Responsibilities. Tavistock/Routledge, London.Google Scholar
Gans, D. and Silverstein, M. 2006. Norms of filial responsibility for aging parents across time and generations. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 68, 4, 961–76.Google Scholar
Hagestad, G. O. and Herlofson, K. 2007. Micro and macro perspectives on intergenerational relations and transfers in Europe. In Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations Organization (UNO), Report from United Nations Expert Group Meeting on Social and Economic Implications of Changing Population Age Structures. UNO, New York, 339–57.Google Scholar
Hajnal, J. 1965. European marriage patterns in perspective. In Glass, D. V. and Eversley, D. E. C. (eds), Population in History: Essays in Historical Demography. Edward Arnold, London, 101–43.Google Scholar
Hank, K. 2007. Proximity and contacts between older parents and their children: a European comparison. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 69, 1, 157–73.Google Scholar
Höllinger, F. and Haller, M. 1990. Kinship and social networks in modern societies: a cross-cultural comparison among seven nations. European Sociological Review, 6, 2, 103–24.Google Scholar
International Monetary Fund 2009. World Economic Outlook Database. April edition, International Monetary Fund, Washington DC. Available online at http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/01/weodata/index.aspx [Accessed 13 January 2010].Google Scholar
Kalmijn, M. and Saraceno, C. 2008. A comparative perspective on intergenerational support: responsiveness to parental needs in individualistic and familialistic countries. European Societies, 10, 3, 479508.Google Scholar
Katz, R., Daatland, S. O., Lowenstein, A., Bazo, M. T., Ancizu, I., Herlofson, K., Mehlhausen-Hassoen, D. and Prilutzki, D. 2003. Family norms and preferences in intergenerational relations: a comparative perspective. In Bengtson, V. L. and Lowenstein, A. (eds), Global Aging and Challenges to Families. Aldine de Gruyter, New York, 305–26.Google Scholar
Keck, W., Hessel, P. and Saraceno, C. 2009. Database on Intergenerational Policy Indicators: Methodological Report. Wissenschaftzentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung, Berlin. Available online at http://www.multilinks-project.eu [Accessed 13 January 2010].Google Scholar
Kohli, M. and Albertini, M. 2008. The family as a source of support for adult children's own family projects: European varieties. In Saraceno, C. (ed.), Families, Ageing and Social Policy: Intergenerational Solidarity in European Welfare States. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, UK, 3858.Google Scholar
Kohli, M. and Albertini, M. 2009. What childless older people give: is the generational link broken? Ageing & Society, 29, 8, 1259–72.Google Scholar
Kohli, M. and Künemund, H. 2003. Intergenerational transfers in the family: what motivates giving? In Bengtson, V. L. and Lowenstein, A. (eds), Global Aging and Challenges to Families. Aldine de Gruyter, New York, 123–42.Google Scholar
Laslett, P. 1983. The significance of the past in the study of ageing. Ageing & Society, 4, 4, 379–89.Google Scholar
Lee, G. R., Peek, C. W. and Coward, R. T. 1998. Race differences in filial responsibility expectations among older parents. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 60, 2, 404–12.Google Scholar
Logan, J. R. and Spitze, G. D. 1995. Self-interest and altruism in intergenerational relations. Demography, 32, 3, 353–64.Google Scholar
Lowenstein, A. and Daatland, S. O. 2006. Filial norms and family support in a comparative cross-national context: evidence from the OASIS study. Ageing & Society, 26, 1, 121.Google Scholar
Lüscher, K. and Pillemer, K. 1998. Intergenerational ambivalence: a new approach to the study of parent–child relations in later life. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 60, 2, 413–25.Google Scholar
Millar, J. and Warman, A. 1996. Family Obligations in Europe. Family Policy Studies Centre, London.Google Scholar
Murphy, M. 2008. Variations in kinship networks across geographic and social space. Population and Development Review, 34, 1, 1949.Google Scholar
Reher, D. S. 1998. Family ties in western Europe: persistent contrasts. Population and Development Review, 24, 2, 203–34.Google Scholar
Rosenmayr, L. and Köckeis, E. 1963. Propositions for a sociological theory of ageing and the family. UNESCO International Social Science Journal, 15, 3, 410–26.Google Scholar
Rossi, A. S. and Rossi, P. H. 1990. Of Human Bonding: Parent–Child Relations Across the Life Course. Aldine de Gruyter, New York.Google Scholar
Shanas, E. 1960. Family responsibility and the health of older people. Journal of Gerontology, 15, 4, 408–11.Google Scholar
Szydlik, M. 1996. Parent–child relations in East and West Germany shortly after the fall of the wall. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 16, 12, 6388.Google Scholar
United Nations Organization (UNO) 2005 a. Generations and Gender Programme: Survey Instruments. UNO, New York.Google Scholar
United Nations Organization (UNO) 2005 b. Living Arrangements of Older Persons Around the World. UNO, New York.Google Scholar
United Nations Organization (UNO) 2009. World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision. Population Division, UNO, New York. Available online at http://esa.un.org/unpp/p2k0data.asp [Accessed 13 January 2010].Google Scholar
Wielink, G., Huijsman, R. and McDonnell, J. 1997. Preferences for care: a study of the elders living independently in the Netherlands. Research on Aging, 19, 2, 174–98.Google Scholar
World Health Organization (WHO) 2010. Health Systems Statistics. WHO, Geneva. Available online at http://apps.who.int/whosis/database/core/core_select.cfm [Accessed 13 January 2010].Google Scholar