This study examined American young adults’ written accounts of intergenerational communication with a focus on factors that initiate conflict. Analysis of the conflict scenarios in intergenerational relationships revealed seven types of initiating factors. Results also indicated that the type of relationship with older adults was associated with the frequency distribution of five of the seven initiating factors. Specifically, young adults perceived they were criticized and rebuffed by nonfamily elders more frequently than by family elders, whereas young people tended to disagree with and rebuff family elders more than nonfamily elders. Furthermore, young people reported more incidents of illegitimate demand from family elders than from nonfamily elders. Results are discussed with respect to intergenerational communication research and the communication predicament of aging model.
Anderson, K., Harwood, J., & Hummert, M.L. ( 2005). The grandparent-grandchild relationship: Implications for models of intergenerational communication. Human Communication Research, 31, 268-294.
2.
Bergstrom, M.J., & Nussbaum, J. ( 1996). Cohort differences in interpersonal conflict: Implications for the older patient-younger care provider interaction. Health Communication, 8, 233-248.
3.
Cicirelli, V.G. ( 1981). Helping elderly parents: The role of adult children. Boston: Auburn House.
4.
Clarke, E.J., Preston, M., Raksin, J., & Bengtson, V.L. (1999). Types of conflict and tensions between older parents and adult children. The Gerontologist , 39, 261-270.
5.
Cupach, W.R., & Carson, C.L. ( 2002). Characteristics and consequences of interpersonal complaints associated with perceived face threat. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 19, 443-462.
6.
Driver, J., Tabares, A., Shapiro, A., Nahm, E.Y., & Gottman, J.M. ( 2003). Interactional patterns in marital success and failure: Gottman laboratory studies. In. F. Walsh (Ed.), Normal family processes: Growing diversity and complexity (3rd ed., pp. 493-513). New York: Guilford.
7.
Giles, H., Coupland, N., & Coupland, J. ( 1991). Accommodation theory: Communication, context, and consequence . In H. Giles, J. Coupland, & N. Coupland (Eds.), Contexts of accommodation: Developments in applied linguistics (pp. 1-68). Cambridge , UK: Cambridge University Press.
8.
Giles, H., Noels, K., Williams, A., Lim, T.-S., Ng, S.-H., Ryan, E., et al. (2003). Intergenerational communication across cultures: Young people’s perceptions of conversations with family elders, nonfamily elders, and same age peers. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 18, 1-30.
9.
Giles, H., & Williams, A. ( 1994). Patronizing the young: Forms and evaluations. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 39, 33-53.
10.
Harwood, J., Giles, H., & Palomares, N.A. (2005). Intergroup theory and communication processes. In J. Harwood & H. Giles (Eds.), Intergroup communication (pp. 1-18). Oxford, UK: Peter Lang.
11.
Harwood, J., McKee, J., & Lin, M.C. ( 2000). Younger and older adults’ schematic representation of intergenerational communication. Communication Monographs , 46, 21-40.
12.
Harwood, J., Ryan, E.B., Giles, H., & Tysoki, S. ( 1997). Evaluations of patronizing speech and three response styles in a non-service-providing context. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 25, 170-195.
13.
Hummert, M.L., Garstka, T.A., Shaner, J.L., & Strahm, S. ( 1994). Stereotypes of the elderly held by young, middle-aged, and elderly adults. Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 49, 240-249.
14.
Hummert, M.L., Shaner, J.L., & Garstka, T.A., & Henry, C. ( 1998). Communication with older adults: The influence of age stereotypes, context, and communicator age. Human Communication Research, 25, 124-151.
15.
Lachman, M.E. ( 2003). Negative interaction in close relationships: Introduction to a special section. Journal of Gerontology B: Psychological Sciences, 58, 69.
16.
Matheson, D.H., Collins, C.L., & Kuehne, V.S. ( 2000). Older adults’ multiple stereotypes of young adults . International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 51, 245-257.
17.
Ng, S.H., Liu, J.H., Weatherall, A., & Loong, C.F. ( 1997). Younger adults’ communication experiences and contact with elders and peers. Human Communication Research, 24, 82-108.
18.
Peterson, D.R. ( 1983). Conflict. In H. H. Kelley, E. Berscheid, A. Christensen, J. H. Harvey, T. L. Huston, G. Levinger, et al. (Eds.), Close relationships (pp. 360-396). New York: Freeman.
19.
Ross, L.D. ( 1977). The intuitive psychologist and his shortcomings: Distortions in the attribution process. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (pp. 173-220). New York: Academic Press.
20.
Ryan, E.B., Giles, H., Bartolucci, G., & Henwood, K. ( 1986). Psycholinguistic and social psychological components of communication by and with the elderly. Language and Communication , 6, 1-24.
21.
Sillars, A.L. ( 1980). Attribution and communication in roommate conflicts. Communication Monographs, 47, 180-200.
22.
Sillars, A.L., & Zietlow, P.H. ( 1993). Investigations of marital communication and lifespan development. In N. Coupland & J. F. Nussbaum (Eds.), Discourse and lifespan identity (pp. 237-261). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
23.
Soliz, J., & Harwood, J. ( 2006). Shared family identity, age salience, and intergroup contact: Investigation of the grandparent-grandchild relationship. Communication Monographs, 73, 87-107.
24.
Suitor, J., & Pillemer, K. ( 1988). Explaining intergenerational conflict when adult children and elderly parents live together. Journal of Marriage and Family, 54, 1037-1047.
25.
Williams, A., & Giles, H. ( 1996). Intergenerational conversation: Younger adults’ retrospective accounts. Human Communication Research, 23, 220-250.
26.
Williams, A., & Nussbaum, J.F. (2001). Intergenerational communication across the lifespan. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
27.
Witteman, H. ( 1992). Analyzing interpersonal conflict: Nature of awareness, type of initiating event, situational perceptions, and management styles. Western Journal of Communication, 56, 248-280.
28.
Yeh, J.-H., Williams, A., & Maruyama, M. ( 1998). Approving and disapproving grandmothers and strangers: Young Taiwanese andAmerican comparisons. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, 8, 125-149.
29.
Zhang, Y.B. ( 2004). Initiating factors of Chinese intergenerational conflict: Young adults’ written accounts. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 19, 299-319.
30.
Zhang, Y.B., & Hummert, M.L. ( 2001). Harmonies and tensions in Chinese intergenerational communication . Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, 11, 205-230.
31.
Zhang, Y.B., Harwood, J., & Hummert, M.L. ( 2005): Perceptions of conflict management styles in Chinese intergenerational dyads. Communication Monographs, 72, 71-91.
