Tracing Intergenerational Relations Through Reports of Transfers of Time and Money: A Comparative Study of African‐americans, Hispanics and Whites

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe any patterns of distinctive sociocultural adaptation in the form of exchanges of time and money between American households, and to determine whether any observed racial or ethnic differences remain after controlling for social background characteristics. We tested one dimension of the sociocultural adaptation hypothesis — Through processes of distinctive sociocultural adaptation, minority group members learn to survive by adjusting behaviors, values, and informal organization in response to demands and stressors in their social environment. The focal adaptation in our study involved instrumental and expressive exchanges between households. The findings showed that minority groups on average were less likely to participate in instrumental and expressive exchanges between households as compared to the majority group. The study involved a secondary analysis of data collected in 1987–1988 as part of the National Survey of Families and Households (N= 13,017). Logistic regression was used to test for racial and ethnic variations in a multivariate context.

Kin Effects on Black‐White Account and Home Ownership

“…This assumption is challenged by recent studies that use representative samples of Blacks and Whites to examine the nature and prevalence of kin exchanges of time, money, and other forms of support (Eggebeen and Hogan 1990;Hofferth 1984;Spreitzer et al 1996). The findings vary across studies and by the particular measure of kinship ties, but in general Blacks do not appear to be more involved or generous with their extended family members than Whites.…”

“…The emphasis on kin support among Black families coupled with the relative silence on this issue in the literature on White families has contributed to the notion that African Americans are unique in their connection to and utilization of kin networks for various kinds of support. This assumption is challenged by recent studies that use representative samples of Blacks and Whites to examine the nature and prevalence of kin exchanges of time, money, and other forms of support (Eggebeen and Hogan 1990;Hofferth 1984;Spreitzer et al 1996). The findings vary across studies and by the particular measure of kinship ties, but in general Blacks do not appear to be more involved or generous with their extended family members than Whites.…”

“…The research on inter-and intragenerational kinship ties addresses a range of questions, including: the character (e.g., tight-knit, affectionate, etc.) of these ties (Silverstein and Bengston 1997;White and Riedmann 1992); differential probabilities of contact with kin (Raley 1995); proximity to kin (Hogan, Hao, and Parish 1990;Miner and Uhlenberg 1997); and exchanges of monetary, instrumental, and/or emotional support among extended family members (Angel and Tienda 1982;Hofferth 1984;Hogan, Eggebeen, and Clogg 1993;Spreitzer, Schoeni, and Rao 1996;Wellman 1979). However, with some noted exceptions (Burton and Dilworth-Anderson 1991;Hogan et al 1990;Jayakody, Chatters, and Taylor 1993;Parish, Hao, and Hogan 1991), the research on kin networks and support has not moved beyond establishing the determinants of various kinship configurations to investigate the next crucial question: Do kin networks matter?…”

Extended Family Integration Among Euro and Mexican Americans: Ethnicity, Gender, and Class

“…One study even reported that the ethnic difference actually increased with the inclusion of controls for SES (Lee & Aytac, 1998). In contrast, other studies found that ethnic difference became insignificant when SES was taken into account (Burr & Mutchler, 1999; Lee & Aytac; Spreitzer et al, 1996). Much of this research examined women and men together; many studies also combined Mexican Americans with other Latinos/as.…”

“…Many studies have examined ethnic differences in some of these types of kin support; their findings did not consistently point to greater integration on the part of either Mexican Americans or Euro Americans. The majority of studies examining financial assistance found that Latinos/as were less likely than Euro Americans to provide it to kin (Eggebeen, 1992; Lee & Aytac, 1998; Spreitzer, Schoeni, & Rao, 1996). And although some scholars found that Latinos/as were less likely to provide emotional support (Spreitzer et al), others found no ethnic difference (Eggebeen) or even a higher prevalence among Mexican Americans (Mindel, 1980).…”