Intergenerational Conflict-Initiating Factors and Management Styles: U.S. Older Adults’ Report
Guided by the theoretical frameworks of communication accommodation theory and conflict management, this study examines U.S. older participants’ (65 or older) written conflict scenario either with a grandchild or a nonfamily young adult. Using content analysis approach, we analyzed these written con...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-11-01
|
| Series: | Societies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/12/6/160 |
| _version_ | 1797455273978232832 |
|---|---|
| author | Yan Bing Zhang Weston T. Wiebe |
| author_facet | Yan Bing Zhang Weston T. Wiebe |
| author_sort | Yan Bing Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Guided by the theoretical frameworks of communication accommodation theory and conflict management, this study examines U.S. older participants’ (65 or older) written conflict scenario either with a grandchild or a nonfamily young adult. Using content analysis approach, we analyzed these written conflict scenarios to uncover major conflict initiating factors and conflict management styles. Results revealed that intergenerational conflict initiated by <i>old-to-young criticism</i> (more frequently reported in conflicts with nonfamily young adults) or <i>disagreement/generation gap</i> (more frequently reported in conflicts with grandchildren) was reported most frequently followed by <i>young-to-old rebuff, cumulative annoyance, and young-to-old criticism</i>. Additionally, results indicated that <i>older adults used the problem-solving style most frequently</i> when <i>disagreement/generation gap</i> initiated the conflict, especially in the family contexts; <i>both young and older adults used the competing style most frequently</i> when <i>old-to-young criticism</i> initiated the conflict, especially in nonfamily contexts. Furthermore, the use of the <i>competing</i> and <i>problem-solving styles</i> by young adults was significantly associated with the use of the same styles by older adults and vice versa, indicating both positive and negative reciprocation in intergenerational conflict. Results in general show that young and older adults manage intergenerational conflicts in different ways in family versus nonfamily contexts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:52:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e8dd30fa591c427c95b43060504e6ce7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4698 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:52:03Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Societies |
| spelling | doaj.art-e8dd30fa591c427c95b43060504e6ce72023-11-24T18:01:33ZengMDPI AGSocieties2075-46982022-11-0112616010.3390/soc12060160Intergenerational Conflict-Initiating Factors and Management Styles: U.S. Older Adults’ ReportYan Bing Zhang0Weston T. Wiebe1Department of Communication Studies, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045-7574, USACollege of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, MO 65726, USAGuided by the theoretical frameworks of communication accommodation theory and conflict management, this study examines U.S. older participants’ (65 or older) written conflict scenario either with a grandchild or a nonfamily young adult. Using content analysis approach, we analyzed these written conflict scenarios to uncover major conflict initiating factors and conflict management styles. Results revealed that intergenerational conflict initiated by <i>old-to-young criticism</i> (more frequently reported in conflicts with nonfamily young adults) or <i>disagreement/generation gap</i> (more frequently reported in conflicts with grandchildren) was reported most frequently followed by <i>young-to-old rebuff, cumulative annoyance, and young-to-old criticism</i>. Additionally, results indicated that <i>older adults used the problem-solving style most frequently</i> when <i>disagreement/generation gap</i> initiated the conflict, especially in the family contexts; <i>both young and older adults used the competing style most frequently</i> when <i>old-to-young criticism</i> initiated the conflict, especially in nonfamily contexts. Furthermore, the use of the <i>competing</i> and <i>problem-solving styles</i> by young adults was significantly associated with the use of the same styles by older adults and vice versa, indicating both positive and negative reciprocation in intergenerational conflict. Results in general show that young and older adults manage intergenerational conflicts in different ways in family versus nonfamily contexts.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/12/6/160intergenerational conflict initiating factors and management stylesaccommodation and nonaccommodationfamily and nonfamily intergenerational relationshipsU.S. young and older adultscontent analysis |
| spellingShingle | Yan Bing Zhang Weston T. Wiebe Intergenerational Conflict-Initiating Factors and Management Styles: U.S. Older Adults’ Report Societies intergenerational conflict initiating factors and management styles accommodation and nonaccommodation family and nonfamily intergenerational relationships U.S. young and older adults content analysis |
| title | Intergenerational Conflict-Initiating Factors and Management Styles: U.S. Older Adults’ Report |
| title_full | Intergenerational Conflict-Initiating Factors and Management Styles: U.S. Older Adults’ Report |
| title_fullStr | Intergenerational Conflict-Initiating Factors and Management Styles: U.S. Older Adults’ Report |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intergenerational Conflict-Initiating Factors and Management Styles: U.S. Older Adults’ Report |
| title_short | Intergenerational Conflict-Initiating Factors and Management Styles: U.S. Older Adults’ Report |
| title_sort | intergenerational conflict initiating factors and management styles u s older adults report |
| topic | intergenerational conflict initiating factors and management styles accommodation and nonaccommodation family and nonfamily intergenerational relationships U.S. young and older adults content analysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/12/6/160 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yanbingzhang intergenerationalconflictinitiatingfactorsandmanagementstylesusolderadultsreport AT westontwiebe intergenerationalconflictinitiatingfactorsandmanagementstylesusolderadultsreport |