Intergenerational Socialization of Gender from Grandparents to Grandchildren: Examining Mechanisms of Exposure

Abstract

Though grandparents are known to be influential in the lives of their grandchildren, little quantitative research exists to assess the intergenerational socialization of gender ideology within the grandparent-grandchild relationship. Using the Longitudinal Study of Generations (LSOG), this study will examine grandparent-parent-grandchild triads to better understand how grandparents’ gender ideology shape those of their grandchildren, controlling for the influence of parents. This study will investigate the mechanisms of socialization including grandparental closeness, contact, proximity and co-residence as moderators of the relationship between grandparent and grandchild gender ideology similarity. Thus, I investigate two primary research questions. First, to what extent are grandparent and grandchild gender ideologies associated, controlling for the indirect influence of parents’ gender ideology? Second, do mechanisms of exposure moderate this relationship? Ultimately, these findings will further illuminate the relationship between family and gender ideology socialization outside of the immediate family and will add to existing research on intergenerational socialization.