Compensation vs. Reinforcement: The Interrelatedness of Inter- and Intragenerational Family Relations in Germany

• In Event: 381 - Section on the Sociology of the Family Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 03. Family Relationships

Abstract

Even though multigenerational (that is, ‘vertical’) bonds have gained in importance relative to nuclear family ties, siblings (that is, ‘horizontal bonds’) remain an important social resource over the life course. However, although we know that offspring and sibling characteristics are closely associated with, for example, both upward and downward exchanges of support within families, relatively little is known about the interrelatedness of inter- and intragenerational family relations. Theoretically, one relationship might compensate for the other (compensation mechanism), or there may be spillover effects from one relationship to the other (reinforcing mechanism), but empirical evidence which of these mechanisms dominates (under which circumstances) is scarce. Exploiting data from the German Family Panel (pairfam), we aim to contribute to closing this research gap. Our analysis draws on more than 7,000 interviews with young adults representative of three birth cohorts (1971-73, 1981-83, and 1991-93), who provided detailed information on various aspects of the relationships to their parents and up to four siblings. Focusing on frequency of contact, emotional closeness and intimacy, as well as conflict, our hierarchical linear regression results provide general support for the assumption that inter- and intragenerational relations in families reinforce each other. However, we also find some evidence for the existence of partially compensating relationships: more frequent intergenerational conflicts, for example, not only predict more frequent conflicts between siblings, but also greater intimacy. Inter- and intragenerational relationships in families appear to be interrelated in complex ways, where reinforcing and compensating mechanisms may be at work in parallel.

Authors

• Anja Steinbach, University of Duisburg-Essen

• Karsten Hank, University of Cologne