Intergenerational Differences Research Articles

Bridging distance: Transnational and local family ties in refugees’ social support networks

Abstract This study examines the familial ties in the social support network of refugees in Germany. It investigates whether distance to family plays a role in the provision of emotional and informational support and how this relationship is moderated by social network services (SNS). Using data from the IAB-BAMF-SOEP Survey of Refugees (N = 5237), the paper provides evidence for a family-centred network. Increasing distance to family is generally negatively associated with receiving support. However, the strength of support from the partner and sibling is less affected by distance than support from parents. Findings indicate that emotional support can generally be conveyed across greater distances, while informational support, often entailing location-bound aid, is not as easily transmittable. This study contributes to the understanding of refugee networks as transnational families with intergenerational differences in support. It also refines the depiction of support dynamics as being multifaceted and potentially limited due to fragmented contacts.

Genetic erosion in a tropical tree species demonstrates the need to conserve wide-ranging germplasm amid extreme habitat fragmentation

AbstractComparing the genetic diversity across different generations within tropical tree populations is an understudied topic. To assess the potential genetic consequences and conservation implications of contemporary disturbances, a population genomic study of Palaquium obovatum across age classes was undertaken. Trees and juveniles were sampled from ten different localities (eight in Singapore, two in Peninsular Malaysia) and subjected to double digest restriction-site associated DNA-sequencing (ddRAD-seq) to assess intergenerational genetic differences and investigate population structure in a hexaploid lineage. Genetic erosion, characterised by reduced heterozygosity, was found to have occurred in almost all wild populations over time, the exceptions being in one isolated coastal population and some areas with cultivated occurences. Population structure was highly localised with the number of genetically distinct populations usually following geographically separated districts, which indicates limitations in pollen and seed dispersal between fragments, possibly due to declines in the associated assemblage of dispersers. For this reason, the germplasm for conserving species diversity in degraded habitats and forest fragments should be selected from a wide range of wild populations across the landscape.

Counting Crofters: Digitised Census Enumerators Books as a New Source for the Later Nineteenth Century

This paper explores some of the ways in which access to the census enumerators books for later nineteenth century censuses, now digitised by the ‘Integrated Census Microdata’ project, can throw new light on a range of socio-demographic developments in the ‘Crofting Counties’ between the early 1850s and the early 1880s. Collating and mapping occupational titles by parish reveals major changes in the titles recorded for those farming small land parcels and in the spatial distributions and age profiles or those heading such households. The numbers of household heads reported as ‘Crofter’ markedly increased between 1851 and 1881 (including outside the ‘Crofting Counties’), as use of terms like ‘Tenant’ and ‘Lotter’ declined. ‘Cottar’, even in 1851 used in very small numbers in most places, was reported in 1881 in very limited areas, even where the estates still used it extensively. The number of households headed by ‘Fishermen’ increased greatly in some areas, notably in Lewis. At the same time, the numbers of men becoming heads of small agriculturalist households at younger ages fell markedly, while rising numbers headed households as ‘Fishermen’. Comparative analysis of four case study areas suggests that, when fishing and other incomes fell markedly in the early 1880s, inter-generational differences in access to headship of a croft may have been a significant stimulus to localised outbreaks of disturbance pressing for land reform.

The Role of Personal Branding in Increasing Generation Z Career Success

The rapid development of human communication and interaction contributes significantly to intergenerational differences. Today's workplace is occupied by mostly generation Z, a generation that is skilled in technology. The aim of this research is to describe and analyze the relationship between personal branding and increasing career success for generation Z through the use of social media, Islamic human values, and skills among final students at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Muria Kudus University. The research population was 3846 students with 116 students being used as research samples. The data collection technique uses a questionnaire distributed via a digital platform, namely Google Form. The analysis technique uses Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) which is operated through the Partial Least Squares (PLS) program. The results of this research show that the use of social media, Islamic human values, and skills have a significant positive effect on personal branding. Personal branding has a significant positive effect on generation Z's career success.

Intergenerational differences in the environmental concerns of plastic waste business owners: environmental knowledge, environmental risk exposure, and community connection as mediators

Promoting environmental concern among plastic waste entrepreneurs is a crucial step towards addressing the issue of plastic pollution effectively. To comprehend the techniques for enhancing environmental responsibility within this demographic, it is essential to examine the intergenerational shifts in environmental attitudes, which can provide valuable insights. This study investigates the intergenerational differences in two types of environmental concerns (i.e., ecological worldview and local environmental issue concern) by taking two generations of plastic waste business owners in Wuzhen Town, China, as a case. The roles of post-materialistic values, environmental knowledge, environmental risk exposure via new media, and community connection in mediating the relationships between generation and environmental concern were also examined in light of the Mindsponge theory. A paired-sample survey (N = 102) was utilized to collect data. The results of path analyses showed significant intergenerational differences in ecological worldview but insignificant intergenerational differences in local environmental issue concerns. While nondaily environmental knowledge and environmental risk exposure via new media significantly and positively mediated the relationship between generation and ecological worldview, community connection significantly and negatively mediated the relationship between generation and local environmental issue concern. Although a significant difference was found in the post-materialistic values between the two generations of plastic waste business owners, this variable did not significantly predict environmental concern.

The Lived Experience of Postpartum Intergenerational Conflict of Vietnamese American Women with their Vietnamese Immigrant Parents: It's A Generational Thing!

US-born Vietnamese women who are in their childbearing years are more likely to identify with "western" perspectives when compared to their immigrant mothers who were born in Vietnam. Still, a gap in knowledge exists of their intergenerational differences. The purpose of this study was to explore and better understand Vietnamese American women's experiences of postpartum intergenerational conflict. van Manen's methodological approach (1997) was used. The purposive sample included 11 US-born Vietnamese women who experienced postpartum intergenerational conflict with their parents. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. The researcher transcended the themes through music. Songs and lyrics were arranged for guitar to bring the phenomenon to life. Four themes were identified: (1) "It's a Generational Thing!" (Một điều thế hệ): Leaning both ways; (2) "To rebel or not" (Nổi loạn hay không): Weighing the evidence of postpartum cultural practices; (3) "Stand My Ground" (Giữ vững lập trường của tôi): Keeping my newborn safe and healthy; and (4) "See Me" (Nhìn con): My mental health overshadowed by my mother's thoughts. This study revealed that the intergenerational conflict was influenced by the family's understanding over the division of infant care tasks, disagreements over cultural practices, and generational differences such as age, consistent with previous research. Tailored interventions for Vietnamese American women should consider the family as a whole. Nurses can assess proactively in prenatal care if there are cultural issues such as family hierarchy, gender, and history influencing one's choices or maternal autonomy.

Social cognition, socioeconomic status and subjective well-being of Chinese migrant workers

Subjective well-being is based on the unity of internal and external needs, as well as material and non-material needs. However, existing research lacks consideration of the impact of both objective material conditions and subjective psychological cognition on the subjective well-being of migrant workers. Thus, based on data from the 2017 China General Social Survey, this paper applies ordered logit models and OLS models to investigate the impact of social cognition and socioeconomic status on the subjective well-being of migrant workers and their intergenerational differences. The results indicate that: (1) Social cognition has a significant impact, and the impact of fairness perception is more pronounced than depression perception and class change perception; (2) among socioeconomic status, personal income did not have a significant effect as education level, car ownership and house property ownership; (3) there are intergenerational differences. The emotional state of the older generation is the most critical factor influencing their subjective well-being. In contrast, the new generation is more concerned with their feelings about future expectations. The older generation is more concerned with their house property ownership, while the increase in income, education and car ownership can significantly increase the subjective well-being of the new generation. For this reason, we believe that the Chinese government should gradually change the existing urban and rural management system to create a fair and just social environment; make migrant workers receive the same protection as urban residents and improve the income distribution mechanism; pay attention to the social security of the older generation of migrant workers and the development opportunities of the new generation of migrant workers and their ability to integrate into the city to improve their subjective well-being.

Exploring intergenerational differences in consumer acceptance of insects-fed farmed fish

This study delves into the multi-faceted process of consumer acceptance of innovative food products, such as insect-fed farmed fish. This is a food product that introduces new, though potentially conflicting, intangible attributes aligning with circularity and sustainability but also evoking negative emotions, such as disgust or neophobia. Drawing from two distinct studies on young and older Italian consumers, we employ an intergenerational lens to explore individual psychometric characteristics, socio-demographic variables, and nudging effects in shaping the acceptance process. We apply the Campbell Paradigm, integrating three acceptance items into well-established scales measuring attitudes towards the environment and nature.Our results reveal that environmental protection inclination, rather than a connectedness to nature, primarily drives acceptance. Notably, young consumers exhibit a more facile acceptance process, indicating lower behavioral costs at each stage. Sociodemographic variables, particularly gender, exert varied influences on acceptance stages, with older women displaying greater hesitancy in adopting new dietary practices. Additionally, exploring the impact of nudges, we find that information significantly influences acceptance, while visual priming does not. Interestingly, the effectiveness of information varies between generations, indicating different reactions and responses.The findings propose strategies for policymakers and marketers to highlight the positive attributes of insects-fed farmed fish, emphasizing sustainability and addressing consumer disgust concerns. Introducing insects as feed in various farming practices may enhance familiarity with this alternative protein source, potentially reducing disgust and fostering widespread acceptance.

Caught between two worlds: mental health literacy and stigma among bicultural youth

ABSTRACT Purpose Bicultural youths are at higher risk of mental health problems and are less likely to utilize mental health services, yet our knowledge of their mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviours remains limited. Methods To fill this gap, the current study explored bicultural youths’ mental health literacy and stigma by conducting semi-structured interviews with 14 Canadian university students in 2021. Results Our analysis revealed that bicultural youths may be torn between two worlds: intergenerational tensions between participants assimilated into individualistic Canadian culture and their more collectivist parents meant that they had different cultural perceptions of mental health literacy and stigma. While being caught between these two worlds may be detrimental for bicultural youth, our results also suggested that a trans-cultural factor—celebrities’ mental health journeys—may promote help-seeking behaviour across participants. Furthermore, our study speaks to the ways that unprecedented events such as the COVID-19 pandemic impact mental health literacy among bicultural youth. Our findings might be used by university mental health services to encourage help-seeking among bicultural students. Conclusion The acculturation of mental health literacy, stigma, and associated intergenerational differences needs to be considered by university wellness services.

How does mobility and urban environment affect the migrants' settlement intention? A perspective from the intergenerational differences.

With China embracing a new people-centered urbanization stage, the problem of migrants "flowing without moving" has become increasingly prominent, and settlement intention has gradually garnered attention. Our research, based on questionnaire data from the China Labor Force Dynamic Survey 2016, uses a multilevel linear regression model to explore the influence of mobility, social environment, built environment, and demographics characteristics on settlement intention in the migrants and discusses differences between settlement intention of new and old generations and their internal influence mechanism. The findings are as follows: (1) Compared to the old generation, the new migrant generation generally has higher settlement intention. (2) The migrants' settlement intention is influenced mainly by mobility, social environment, built environment, and demographic characteristics. (3) For the new migrant generation, social and demographic characteristics significantly influence their settlement intention. (4) The floating and built environment of the old generation significantly influence their settlement intention. Finally, this paper argues that there are differences in the influence mechanism of the same factors on the settlement intention of the new and old generations of migrants. It proposes differentiated policy suggestions for the migrants to promote city social integration. Finally, this paper argues that there are differences in the influence mechanism of the same factors on the settlement intention of the new and old generations of migrants. It proposes differentiated policy suggestions for the migrants to promote city social integration.

Combatting Child Marriage

Numerous initiatives, including one in the Philippines, have been developed around the world to support the demand to end child marriage. Child marriage is widely practiced in indigenous and Muslim communities in the Philippines, but Republic Act No. 11596, known as the "Prohibition of Child Marriage Law," made it illegal in January 2022. Several actors, including youth groups in Muslim Mindanao, are seen as participants in this great success. This study aims to investigate the engagements and contributions of two Bangsamoro youth civil society organizations (CSOs) in this advocacy to recognize youth participation. Also, this study uses an institutional approach to seek and identify the enabling environment for youth participation in their quest to become active agents of positive change. Qualitative approaches are used to collect data from CSO youth members and other key informants. The findings imply that institutionalizing participation venues and the availability of initiatives funded by diverse donors promote robust youth engagement. Respondents also identified community involvement and school-based leadership development as motivators for joining and forming organizations. Networks among Bangsamoro youth groups encourage involvement and provide support in the pursuit of their advocacy. Intergenerational differences, on the other hand, limit youth engagement.
 
 Keywords: Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, CEFM, Youth-led engagement, Civil society organizations, Institutions

Different ecological demands shape differences in population structure and behaviour among the two generations of the small pearl-bordered fritillary.

The population structure and behaviour of univoltine butterfly species have been studied intensively. However, much less is known about bivoltine species. In particular, in-depth studies of the differences in population structure, behaviour, and ecology between these two generations are largely lacking. Therefore, we here present a mark-release-recapture study of two successive generations of the fritillary butterfly Boloria selene performed in eastern Brandenburg (Germany). We revealed intersexual and intergenerational differences regarding behaviour, dispersal, population characteristics, and protandry. The observed population densities were higher in the second generation. The flight activity of females decreased in the second generation, but remained unchanged in males. This was further supported by the rate of wing decay. The first generation displayed a linear correlation between wing decay and passed time in both sexes, whereas the linear correlation was lost in second-generation females. The proportion of resting individuals in both sexes increased in the second generation, as well as the number of nectaring females. The choice of plant genera used for nectaring seems to be more specialised in the first and more opportunistic in the second generation. The average flight distances were generally higher for females than for males and overall higher in the first generation. Predictions of long-distance movements based on the inverse power function were also generally higher in females than in males but lower in the first generation. Additionally, we found protandry only in the first but not in the second generation, which might correlate with the different developmental pathways of the two generations. These remarkable differences between both generations might reflect an adaptation to the different ecological demands during the flight season and the different tasks they have, i.e., growth in the spring season; dispersal and colonisation of new habitats during the summer season.

Value Perception, Government Regulation, and Farmers’ Behavior toward Continuing to Maintain the Sloping Land Conversion Program

As a major ecological project with the largest investment scale, strongest policy support, most extensive involvement, and the highest level of public participation in the world, the Sloping Land Conversion Program (SLCP) implemented by China is important for protecting the ecological environment and achieving long-term stability. Consolidating the SLCP’s achievements is key to its sustainable operation. Based on a sample of 612 farmers in Guizhou Province, this paper discusses the impact of value perception and government regulation on farmers’ behavior in terms of their continued SLCP maintenance. The results show that (1) value perception and government regulation are important factors affecting the sustainability of farmers’ behavior of continuing to maintain the SLCP. Perceived economic value and perceived cost input, as dimensions of value perception, and policy publicity and economic incentives, as dimensions of government regulation, have important influences on farmers’ continued SLCP maintenance. (2) There are complementary effects between value perception and government regulation. Policy publicity and perceived ecological value, technical guidance and perceived economic and social value, and economic incentives and perceived economic value can have complementary effects on farmers’ continued maintenance behavior. (3) Value perception and government regulation heterogeneously impact different groups of farmers. In terms of intergenerational differences, perceived cost inputs and punitive measures significantly affect only new-generation farmers. In terms of farmer type, perceived economic value does not significantly affect nonfarmers; perceived cost input significantly affects part-time farmers engaged mainly in off-farm employment, and technical guidance and economic incentives have the greatest impact on pure farmers. In terms of tree species, perceived cost input and policy publicity significantly impact only ecological forest farmers, while technical guidance has a greater impact on economic forest farmers. The findings provide an in-depth understanding of the mechanism underlying farmers’ behavior in maintaining the SLCP and offer a reference for promoting the goals of forestry ecological policies against the background of rural revitalization and green development.

In the shadow of dissidence: exploring the experiences of descendants of Czechoslovakian dissidents.

The Communist Party's reign in Czechoslovakia (1948-1989) saw the persecution of thousands of individuals. The State Security campaign "Asanace" (meaning "sanitation") was conducted to expel critics of the regime from the country using psychological and physical terror. Although stories of dissidents are frequently presented in public spaces, little is known about the experiences of their children. To address this gap, we conducted interpretative phenomenological analyses of semi-structured in-depth interviews with five adult descendants of Czechoslovakian dissidents. Our analyses revealed that while participants appreciated and were inspired by their parents' dissident activities, they tend to distance themselves from it in order not to live in their parents' shadow. Furthermore, for them, the "Asanace" campaign primarily meant emigration, which in turn affected their sense of self and (national) identity dispersion. Consequently, they experienced feelings of being uprooted and different. Furthermore, they faced challenges acculturating. However, they also recognized their resilience as being rooted in their migration experience and the legacy of their parents' dissidence. By highlighting intergenerational differences and the impact of family legacy on individuals' strengths and weaknesses, this study contributes to our understanding of the psychological consequences of living in, escaping from and adjusting to life beyond oppressive regimes.

A scoping review into the service needs of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds living with disability to engage in meaningful occupations.

Although there is a large proportion of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds within Australia, their rate of access to disability services is disproportionately low. This review aims to understand the service needs of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds with disability to facilitate engagement in meaningful occupations. Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review framework was employed. Ten databases were searched for Australian studies. A deductive content analysis framework was applied in the synthesis. Fourteen papers were included. Themes that emerged include language and cultural needs and considerations, which highlights the need for information sharing to take account of intergenerational, intercultural and sociolinguistic differences. It also identified the need for improved training and skills of existing interpreters. Culturally competent and responsive services was another theme identified, which emphasised the need to enhance the workforces' understanding of cultural practices. There is also a strong call for a more culturally diverse workforce to reduce the use of some interpreters and to build a more culturally competent workforce. The last theme was responsive service delivery, which requires the governance to support the development of a nurturing trusting therapeutic relationship. Service providers should be trained on the inequities and intersectionality of this population. Further research is required to explore current disability policy in Australia with an intersectionality lens to ensure recommendations can be made to address barriers and ensure this population receives services in a manner that enhances their ability to engage in occupations meaningfully.

Intergenerational Leadership: A Leadership Style Proposal for Managing Diversity and New Technologies

Artificial intelligence, augmented, virtual, and mixed reality applications are improving business tools to increase their efficiency and ability to innovate. Technological innovation offers creative opportunities, but each generation values these advances differently. This study analysed the intergenerational differences and their leadership styles. The research questions are as follows: what are the main characteristics of each generation? And what leadership style is most appropriate for managing generational diversity in companies? Firstly, the main characteristics of each generation—Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, Generation Z, and Generation Alpha—were identified. Secondly, the most representative leadership styles of each generation were analysed. And thirdly, a proposal for a leadership style that can be used to better manage the intergenerational needs and technological demands of companies was presented. The development of leadership styles that take account of all generations can support economic growth and the creation of innovative and sustainable industries, as well as improve social welfare.

An Intergenerational Comparison of Civility: Nursing Students and Nurse Educators.

Intergenerational differences in perceptions related to civility among nursing students and nurse educators were explored. A convenience sample of 13 students and 10 educators were interviewed in this descriptive qualitative study. Both groups defined civility as kindness, collaboration, and respect. Educators described civil students as being open to learning, polite, appreciative, and gracious. Students described civil educators as listening without judgment and being supportive and respectful. Educators described uncivil students as being disrespectful and entitled, and improperly using social media. Students described uncivil educators as belittling and impatient, and failing to listening. Respect was the strongest theme for both students and educators. In describing civil acts, students focused on cooperation to accomplish classroom and clinical tasks, whereas educators focused on productive classroom behaviors. More research on intergenerational differences is needed to help nurse educators develop interventions that allow faculty to view civility from a student perspective. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(2):86-92.].

Media Influence on Intergenerational Attitudes toward Non-Conventional Sexual Behaviors in Contemporary China: Evidence from Chinese General Social Survey

Objective Within the context of rapid sociocultural transformation in Chinese society over recent decades, exploring intergenerational disparities in attitudes toward non-conventional sexual behaviors holds sociological significance. Employing a methodology akin to cultivation analysis, this study focuses on the potential influence of television and the internet in narrowing or widening attitudinal disparities between distinct age groups. This is achieved by comparing heavy users of these media to individuals with light media consumption. Materials and Methods In the present study, we utilized the 2017 wave of the Chinese General Social Survey, a dataset that is representative of the national demographic of China. Our objective was to explore the potential influence of both traditional media (TV) and new media (the internet) consumption on the attitudes of Chinese adults toward three forms of non-conventional sexual behavior, namely premarital, extramarital, and same-sex behaviors. Results Firstly, compared to television, the internet is more likely to contribute to the liberalization of sexual attitudes, though this influence is age sensitive. Secondly, regarding the attitudes toward premarital sex and same sex behaviors, television tends to sustain or create consensus across different generations, whereas the internet tends to widen attitudinal gaps. Lastly, probably due to the moralized nature of extramarital sex in the Chinese context, both television and the internet maintain or produce the conservative consensus, though heavy television viewing could widen the attitudinal gap between young people and the other two age groups. Discussion and Conclusion Our study reveals that for premarital sex and same-sex behaviors, heavy television viewing tends to foster or sustain intergenerational consensus, while frequent internet usage tends to augment intergenerational divergence or erode intergenerational agreements. However, the media’s impact on intergenerational differences in attitudes toward extramarital sex exhibits distinctive features, likely stemming from the deeply moralized nature of extramarital affairs within Chinese society. To conclude, by conducting a comparative examination of various media landscapes, our research offers a mediated perspective that aids in comprehending the disparities in attitudes toward sexual behaviors across different generations in contemporary China.

Granny and mama: Grandmothers’ and mothers’ interactions with toddlers during block play in urban China

The goal of this study was to compare two generations of Chinese caregivers (N = 129) in terms of their interactions with toddlers during block play. We additionally explored the associations between caregivers’ interaction styles and toddlers’ effortful control. Caregivers were mothers (n = 68, mean age = 33.56 years) and grandmothers (n = 61, mean age = 59.17 years) from 70 families in urban China. Concepts (block construction, body parts and color, literacy, and math) taught by caregivers at basic and advanced levels as well as their interaction styles (dominance, positive and negative feedback, positive and negative affect) were coded from semi-structured home observations. Caregivers also reported on children’s effortful control. Compared to mothers, grandmothers taught at more advanced levels, dominated the interaction more, displayed less positive affect as well as more negative affect and negative feedback toward children. Moreover, mothers’ dominance and negativity during block play were uniquely associated with lower levels of child effortful control. Findings advance knowledge of intergenerational differences in caregivers’ interactions with young children in a rapidly changing society.

Strategic transitions: unraveling the impact of socioemotional wealth and generational cohorts on succession planning in family SMEs

PurposeThe complexity of succession in family firms is multifaceted and can sometimes lead to turbulence. While structured succession strategies offer a roadmap for smoother transitions, intergenerational differences in family small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can lead to varied interpretations of an effective succession blueprint. This study synergizes the strategic entrepreneurship framework with the socioemotional wealth (SEW) perspective to probe into how formalized succession planning impacts performance in family SMEs. Furthermore, it delves into the mediating role of succession satisfaction, especially in family firms characterized by pronounced SEW and helmed by CEOs from different generational cohorts.Design/methodology/approachEmploying a comprehensive dataset from 1,833 global family businesses, this research utilizes bootstrapping regression models to discern the intertwined effects of mediator and moderator variables and their statistical significance.FindingsThe main findings suggest that succession satisfaction does matter for a good succession process and that succession plans work only in family firms with a high degree of SEW and that are led by older family CEOs (e.g. baby boomers).Practical implicationsThe results offer fresh perspectives on succession processes, with a particular focus on how to improve the satisfaction of millennial family CEOs.Originality/valueThe study uniquely combines strategic entrepreneurship and SEW to offer a holistic view of succession planning, highlighting satisfaction’s mediating role and SEW’s moderating influence. Additionally, it pioneers the incorporation of generational cohorts into the succession discourse.