Ethnic and Cultural Differences in Intergenerational Social Support

Opens with a consideration of how generations are defined, using an example to demonstrate the differential transmission & experience of ethnic & cultural traditions. The balance of the discussion is given to exploring how individual experiences influence personal development & development as generational member. In this light, the global nature of generational issues is illustrated, highlighting the impact of sociohistorical, cultural, experiential, geographical, & geopolitical contexts. Attention turns to how social support is experienced across cultures, racial & ethnic groups, & generations, with an eye toward identifying similarities & differences in terms of support relations structure & quality. Reciprocity is then scrutinized for its conceptual utility in understanding intergenerational relations across racial, ethnic, & cultural differences. Contextual factors are seen to have important implications for the content of beliefs, values, & attitudes within generations as well as for the process & outcome of familial & generation cohort socialization.