Convergence and Divergence in Young Adults' Views on Parents and Parenting

• In Event: 1483 - Open Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: Table 12. Emerging Research on Cohabitation, Marriage, and Parenting

Abstract

Despite much attention to how European adults’ values have changed over time, little research has focused specifically on how young adults’ cultural values regarding parenting and responsibility to their own parents have changed. Further evidence additionally suggests that over the last few decades, attitudes about parenting have standardized as Western “intensive parenting” norms disseminate around the world. This article examines both components of intergenerational solidarity- children’s responsibilities to parents and parents’ responsibilities to children- in the Nordic countries as well as the Mediterranean countries. Results show that these two clusters continue to diverge regarding the expectations of what children should do for parents. However, the globalization of parenting might have had an effect on the near convergence between the two clusters regarding what parents should do for children.

Author

• Andrew Breidenbach, University of New Mexico