Use of communication technology to maintain intergenerational contact: toward an understanding of ‘digital solidarity’

Abstract

This chapter examines the use of communication technology (emailing and texting) for the maintenance of digital solidarity. It first considers the role of digital solidarity in the study of intergenerational solidarity, and more specifically how digital solidarity adds a new dimension to the concepts of associational solidarity and functional solidarity. It then explores the use of emailing and texting by older mothers to maintain contact with their adult children using data from two US sources and from different years (the 2008 Within-Family Differences Study and the 2016 Longitudinal Study of Generations). The demographic characteristics of mothers are discussed, along with the characteristics of their adult children and the methods used in the two studies. The results show that mothers in the 2016 sample are more likely to use communication technology with their offspring than are mothers in the 2008 sample. The chapter concludes by suggesting directions for future research.

A Decade of Research on Intergenerational Ties: Technological, Economic, Political, and Demographic Changes

“…The use of text and other digital forms of communication may serve to enhance what Peng et al (, p. 159) refer to as “digital solidarity.” Digital solidarity builds on the premise of associational solidarity by fostering relationship strength through contact (Bengtson & Oyama, ; Fingerman et al, ; Silverstein & Giarrusso, ). Indeed, new technologies have facilitated contact between social partners in general (Cotten, McCullough, & Adams, ), and the same may be true of adults and parents.…”

“…Likewise, from 2008 to 2011, slightly less than one third (31%) of older mothers had either texted or emailed a grown child in the past year. Newer data obtained from better‐educated mothers in 2016 found that 95% of mothers reported instant messaging or emailing a grown child (Peng et al, ).…”

Multigenerational social support in the face of the COVID‐19 pandemic

“…Second, the concept of associational solidarity has recently been extended to include ‘digital solidarity’ to consider the role of technology in maintaining contact between the generations (Peng et al, 2018). Digital communication between generations represents a new domain in gerontological research but one that is receiving increased attention.…”

“…During the pandemic, families are encouraged to utilize technology (e.g., FaceTime or Zoom) (Glazer, 2020). As noted above, scholars have developed the term ‘digital solidarity’ to recognize the use of such communication technology to maintain intergenerational support (Peng et al, 2018). Such digital communication may be particularly beneficial to combat loneliness among older adults who live alone or in assisted and independent living communities (Cotten et al, 2013; Czaja, 2017; Czaja et al, 2018) and cannot receive family members' visits.…”

“…Recent scholarship has documented the use of technology to maintain social support between the generations (Fingerman et al, 2020; Peng et al, 2018). Technology is likely particularly important for multigenerational ties during the COVID‐19 pandemic.…”