Intergenerational Expectations Research Articles

Exploring the differences and influencing factors between top-down and opinion-reflective approaches regarding public acceptance of final disposal of soils removed after the Fukushima nuclear accident.

The final disposal of the soils removed from the area affected by the Fukushima nuclear accident will be carried out by 2045. This study investigated how acceptance of final disposal differed between top-down, opinion-aggregative, and opinion-reflective approaches to the decision outcome, and what factors influenced these differences. In 2022, a survey of 3000 randomly selected participants living outside Fukushima Prefecture was conducted using the postal method, with responses obtained from 871 consenting participants. The proportions of respondents who agreed to accept the final disposal were 22.6, 37.6 and 56.9% for the top-down, opinion-aggregative, and opinion-reflective approaches, respectively. The preferences for both opinion-aggregative and opinion-reflective approaches showed significant positive associations with interest in final disposal and social benefits, and significant negative associations with intergenerational expectations and age. This study highlights the importance of procedural fairness in determining final disposal sites, and identifies factors that contribute to greater acceptance through this process.

The Impact of Parental Educational Expectations and Parental Education on Adolescent Academics

In today's rapidly developing era, an increasing number of parents hope that their children will have good academic performance and a bright future. Both parental expectations and educational attainment can influence a child's academic level. Excessive expectations can have a negative impact on a child's academic performance, and higher educational attainment can also affect intergenerational expectations. This study is based on data from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS), using correlation analysis and ANOVA to explore the effects of parental educational expectations and parental educational attainment on the academic performance of adolescents. The results of the study revealed that there is a significant positive correlation between parental expectations and academic performance. However, the impact of parental educational attainment differs between fathers and mothers, with only the mother's educational attainment having an influence on a child's academic performance. We recommend that parents should maintain a moderate level of expectation to ensure that their child's academic performance is at a high level. At the same time, there should be a balance between fathers' and mothers' investment in education.

Bringing Ageing to Life: A Comparative Study of Age Categories

This article offers a comparative ethnographic study of ageing as both category and experience. Drawing on simultaneous 16-month ethnographies conducted as part of the ASSA project, we focus on how ageing is being re-defined in eight contexts around the world, with particular focus on the authors’ field sites: rural and urban settings in both Japan and Uganda. Despite being among the world’s oldest and youngest populations, respectively, there are various affinities in both ethnographies of age and technology use related to the reconfiguration of family-care norms across distances. This shared finding informs the articulation of age categories, which we found to be negotiated in line with established intergenerational expectations and family roles. This paper is illustrated with ethnographic examples of how people redefine ageing in context and in turn bring ‘age’ to life, demonstrating the social significance of age categories.

Factors influencing acceptability of final disposal of incinerated ash and decontaminated soil from TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident

TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident prompted extensive decontamination work. The decontaminated soil and incinerated ash generated by the process are scheduled for final disposal by March 2045 outside Fukushima Prefecture. The final disposal is unprecedented worldwide. Clarifying their acceptability will contribute to the final disposal of decontaminated soil and incinerated ash, as well as add knowledge about the perceived risk of low-concentration radioactive waste. A questionnaire survey was conducted to assess the psychological factors influencing final disposal acceptability. The results of the structural equation modeling demonstrated stable results, with risk perception decreasing acceptability, social benefits increasing acceptability, and personal benefits having limited impact. The initiative for the final disposal of decontaminated soil and incinerated ash can facilitate the reconstruction of Fukushima Prefecture after the disaster. Trust and intergenerational expectations are critical factors influencing the acceptability of this disposal. The responses were classified based on the relevance of moral norms using cluster analysis and moral foundations. The influence of each element on acceptability varied depending on the cluster. Trust was identified as the most influential factor in acceptability, regardless of the level of importance placed on moral norms.

“If There’s One Bad Apple, It Affects All of Us”: Filipino-Canadian Men’s Cultural Perspectives on Mental Health, Mental Illness and Stigma

In Canada, there is a dearth of comprehensive literature on the specific needs for the health and well-being of racialized newcomers, especially for mental health in the rapidly growing Filipino-Canadian diaspora. Using two focus groups with 14 participants, this article identified the following themes: Filipino-Canadian men’s conceptualization of mental illness, health, and stigma; gender and intergenerational expectations as a form of mental health stigma; and motivations for joining the Strength In Unity (SIU) project. The insights from these Filipino men should inform approaches to addressing mental health in Filipino communities in Canada.

Pacific Parental Engagement and Intergenerational Storytelling in Aotearoa New Zealand

In this article, we focus on how Pacific family support places success of individuals within a wider narrative of intergenerational family stories, contributing to successful futures for the participating Pacific youth and their families. Guided by Pacific research principles, we used interviews with families and adolescents to explore the role of family narratives, in ten Pacific families in Aotearoa New Zealand, which supported academic success for their children. Our data sources included conversations with youth, their families, and visual representations created by the youth to illustrate their perceptions of parental support. The findings highlighted the role of families’ stories in supporting their children’s education. Strong intergenerational expectations were expressed from the dual perspectives of parents and their children. The formative role of family stories within the youths’ experiences of success provides opportunity to acknowledge the relational foundations of intergenerational stories.

Culture in End-of-Life Care.

The Indian population, which includes those who denote themselves as "Asian Indian," "Indian," or "East Indian" on the census, represents the second largest group of Asians in the United States. Despite our growing numbers, research suggests that adequate health care is lacking for this community. The challenges caused by this insufficient care are amplified at the end of life, where intergenerational, culturally derived values and concerns collide to shape expectations. This essay uses Atul Gawande's Being Mortal (2014), which addresses palliative care and end-of-life decision-making, as a launching point for analyzing the role of Indian culture in end-of-life care and discussing implications for providing culturally competent medical practice. The role of intergenerational expectations of care and familial duty are key themes in Gawande's text, and the book represents a missed opportunity to explicitly discuss these values in a clinical context. Three guiding concerns are suggested as addenda to end-of-life care discussions: eliciting the patient's thoughts on advanced directives, on the roles of family members, and about preferences for disclosure regarding serious diagnoses.

Is there a demand for reverse mortgages in China? Evidence from two online surveys

Reverse mortgages provide an alternative source of retirement funding by allowing older homeowners to borrow against their home. However, a recent pilot program of reserve mortgage products in several large Chinese cities saw almost no take up. To ascertain the demand for reverse mortgages in China, we conduct and analyze two online surveys that focus respectively on homeowners aged 45–65 as potential purchasers, and on adult children in the 20–49 age group representing children of potential purchasers. We address the reported shortcomings of the pilot reverse mortgage product by testing an improved product design presented in a clear and comprehensive format. We find that 89% of older Chinese homeowners would be interested in this new reverse mortgage product, and 84% of adult children would recommend such a product to their parents. Participants in both surveys reported that they would use the reverse mortgage payments to fund a more comfortable retirement and to pay for better medical treatments and aged care services. Respondents’ interest in reverse mortgages was associated with their familiarity and understanding of the product, and its perceived potential to address liquidity constraints in retirement. Health status, aged care preferences and proxies for intergenerational links were also important. Our results are contrary to the common perception of intergenerational expectations of wealth transfer in China, and provide new evidence in support of the potential development of China’s reverse mortgage market.

Is There a Demand for Reverse Mortgages in China? Evidence from Two Online Surveys

Reverse mortgages provide an alternative source of retirement funding by allowing older homeowners to borrow against their home. However, a recent pilot program of reserve mortgage products in several large Chinese cities saw almost no take up. To ascertain the demand for reverse mortgages in China, we conduct and analyze two online surveys that focus respectively on homeowners aged 45-65 as potential purchasers, and on adult children in the 20-49 age group representing children of potential purchasers. We address the reported shortcomings of the pilot reverse mortgage product by testing an improved product design presented in a clear and comprehensive format. In stark contrast, we find that 89% of older Chinese homeowners would be interested in this new reverse mortgage product, and 84% of adult children would recommend such a product to their parents. Participants in both surveys reported that they would use the reverse mortgage payments to fund a more comfortable retirement and to pay for better medical treatments and aged care services. Respondents' interest in reverse mortgages was associated with their familiarity and understanding of the product, and its perceived potential to address liquidity constraints in retirement. Health status, aged care preferences and proxies for intergenerational links were also important. Our results are contrary to the common perception of intergenerational expectations of wealth transfer in China, and provide new evidence in support of the potential development of China's reverse mortgage market.

NEGOTIATING BOUNDARIES IN LATE-LIFE STEPFAMILY: INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON INTERGENERATIONAL TIES

Late life repartnering and stepfamily formation is an increasingly common phenomenon around the world. Given greater longevity, health, and sustained divorce rates, more aging adults have complex marital and family histories. Research indicates that the intergenerational family and stepfamily ties created through late-life repartnerships are often complex. This symposium highlights five papers that examine late life stepfamily and intergenerational expectations and experiences from various international contexts (Europe, Israel, and the United States). First, van Tilburg and van der Pas will present a macro-level examination of cross-national differences in late-life stepfamilies in multiple European countries (e.g., Spain, Italy, Greece, Denmark, Sweden) and the US. Hwang, Silverstein, and Brown use the Longitudinal Study of Generations (US) to examine associations between religiosity and filial responsibility, and potential mediating effects of familism, among adult stepchildren. Simhi-Meidani and Koren’s paper will present qualitative findings (Israel) on adult stepchildren’s reactions to and experiences with parents entering late life repartnerships after widowhood. Sanner, Coleman, & Ganong present findings from a grounded theory study that explores outcomes of stepgrandchild-stepgrandparent relationships following the dissolution of a late life remarriage. Sherman will present findings on health and care-related decision making and relationship quality between remarried spouses and stepfamily members. Together, the papers in this symposium session, employ multiple methodologies to offer timely insight into late-life stepfamily in diverse national and cultural settings. Discussion will highlight the multifaceted nature of intergenerational ties in late life stepfamily, and consider implications for future aging and family research and practice.

Loss of an ecological baseline through the eradication of oyster reefs from coastal ecosystems and human memory

Oyster reefs form over extensive areas and the diversity and productivity of sheltered coasts depend on them. Due to the relatively recent population growth of coastal settlements in Australia, we were able to evaluate the collapse and extirpation of native oyster reefs (Ostrea angasi) over the course of a commercial fishery. We used historical records to quantify commercial catch of O. angasi in southern Australia from early colonization, around 1836, to some of the last recorded catches in 1944 and used our estimates of catch and effort to map their past distribution and assess oyster abundance over 180 years. Significant declines in catch and effort occurred from 1886 to 1946 and no native oyster reefs occur today, but historically oyster reefs extended across more than 1,500 km of coastline. That oyster reefs were characteristic of much of the coastline of South Australia from 1836 to 1910 appears not to be known because there is no contemporary consideration of their ecological and economic value. Based on the concept of a shifted baseline, we consider this contemporary state to reflect a collective, intergenerational amnesia. Our model of generational amnesia accounts for differences in intergenerational expectations of food, economic value, and ecosystem services of nearshore areas. An ecological system that once surrounded much of the coast and possibly the past presence of oyster reefs altogether may be forgotten and could not only undermine progress towards their recovery, but also reduce our expectations of these coastal ecosystems.

“I am African, iko nini”

In Nairobi, young urban professionals self-confidently position themselves as Africans, while they are simultaneously reproached for being ‘un-African’. I explore this economy of claims and how it relates to the way the lifestyles of young professionals become the focus of generational conflict. I follow how various actors use the notions African, Western, modern and traditional as reified concepts that comprise a discursive field of practices. Disentangling public debates and individual self-perceptions, it becomes clear that matters of cultural heritage, gerontocratic relations and intergenerational expectations, and shifts in gender and sexuality reflect a field of tension and ambivalence. Young urban professionals display a vibrant cosmopolitan way of being and are the visible results of social transformations that started with their grandparents.

Involvement without interference: How grandparents negotiate intergenerational expectations in relationships with grandchildren

Grandparents play a key role in many families. Examining talk about grandparenting provides a way to understand expectations structured by family roles and wider societal expectations. In this study, 29 grandparents talked about their experiences of grandparenting in New Zealand Participants described the joys and wonder of grandparenting, however, boundaries must be continually negotiated or conflict can occur. Participants described governing their behaviour according to the need to balance connection with their grandchildren and the rights of their adult children to raise children in accordance with their own values. Grandparents constructed relationships with grandchildren as demonstrations of involvement without crossing boundaries into interference. To achieve this, the contemporary grandparent–grandchild relationship was described as based on caring and companionship. Tensions between involvement and interference provide a framework through which grandparents monitor and balance an appropriate level of interaction with grandchildren and may constrain their ability to intervene in family difficulties.

Involvement without interference: How grandparents negotiate intergenerational expectations in relationships with grandchildren

Involvement without interference: How grandparents negotiate intergenerational expectations in relationships with grandchildren

Ethnographic Family Research: Predicaments and Possibilities of Doing Fieldwork on Intergenerational Relations in Singapore

This paper addresses the use of ethnographic methods in the field known as family studies. While ethnographic methods are fundamental in the anthropological study of kinship and family, quantitative methods have long dominated family studies. To grasp the ideas and actions of human beings, however, we must pay attention to their intentions and recognize that intentions are not necessarily simply pragmatic reactions to economic or political conditions. One reward of ethnographic fieldwork is that the extended timeframe enables the researcher to gain insights into the construction of meaning in everyday life. Based on the author’s experiences during longterm fieldwork on intergenerational expectations and obligations in Singapore, the paper demonstrates how the role of the researcher, as well as the accumulation of ethnographic data, is shaped and constructed in interaction with informants. While an anthropological approach contributes to an in-depth understanding of family practices on the ground, it requires a high degree of self-reflexivity with regard to fieldwork relations and the interpretation of data, since the ethnographer’s social position, including age, gender, class, and ethnicity/nationality, inevitably shapes the access to informants. The paper sheds light on the different aspects of fieldwork and the process of ethnographic understanding.

Linkages between Family and Societal-Level Intergenerational Attitudes

Issues concerning links between intergenerational expectations at family and societal levels are investigated with survey data from 1,200 respondents aged 40 and over. Both family- and societal-level expectations reflect “generational altruism.” Personal family characteristics and circumstances have little relations to general expectations about parents and children, but family solidarity is related to family expectations, primarily with regard to children. Attitudes about societal-level intercohort relations have little association with personal family circumstances or solidarity. However, expectations about children are related to societal expectations, suggesting that solidarity (and altruism) at the micro level of family ties has some relations to solidarity (and altruism) at the macro level of intercohort relations.