Topic Selection and Satisfaction in Communication between Taiwanese Senior High School Students and their Grandparents
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
As Taiwan's population ages, intergenerational communication has become more prevalent in daily life. To gain insights into this form of communication, the researchers conducted a survey to explore topic selections and satisfaction levels in conversations between senior high school students and their grandparents in Taiwan. There is a lack of existing literature derived from Chinese-speaking communities regarding this research topic. The questionnaire comprised two parts: one focusing on actual and anticipated communication topics, and the other assessing participant satisfaction levels with the discussed topics during intergenerational talks. The differences between the answers given by grandparents and grandchildren were compared using SPSS. Significant differences might compromise the possibility of creating satisfying grandparent-grandchild relationships. Convenient sampling method was adopted, yielding 76 sets of samples providing corresponding views on intergenerational communication regarding topic selection and satisfaction levels. Findings revealed that senior high school students preferred discussing family, leisure, and health topics with their grandparents. Conversely, grandparents were inclined to discuss health, occupation, and family matters with their grandchildren. Notably, family emerged as the most popular topic, and this topic generated the highest satisfaction levels in both generations. However, the most significant disparity in topic selection between grandchildren and grandparents was observed in the area of occupation. Grandparents showed a preference for discussing occupation with their grandchildren, while the grandchildren tended to ignore this topic. The differences in age and generational perspectives could contribute to this gap and potentially lead to dissatisfaction in intergenerational conversations. The results of this study hold the potential for enhancing and promoting the quality of intergenerational communication within family contexts. By understanding the preferred topics and recognising potential sources of dissatisfaction, efforts can be made to bridge the intergenerational gaps and foster better communication between grandparents and grandchildren. Such improvements can strengthen family bonds and promote a positive and harmonious intergenerational dynamic.
Article Details
References
Beaver, M. L. (1991). Life review/reminiscent therapy. In K. Paul (ed.) Serving the elderly: Skills for practice(pp 67-88). Routledge.
Boden, D., & Bielby, D. (1986). The way it was: Topical organisation in elderly conversation. Language and Communication, 6(1-2), 73-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/0271-5309(86)90007-8
Brussoni, M. J., & Boon, S. D. (1998). Grandparental impact in young adults’ relationship with their closet grandparents: The role of relationship strength and emotional closeness. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 46(4), 267-286. https://doi.org/10.2190/2B7B-E3LH-74JJ-U
Drew, L. M., & Silverstein, M. (2007). Grandparents' psychological well-being after loss of contact with their grandchildren. Journal of Family Psychology, 21(3), 372–379. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.21.3.372
Fiske, S. T. & Taylor, S. E. (1991). Social cognition, 2nd Edn. McGraw-Hill.
Gettings, P. E., & McNallie, J. (2021). Examining grandparents’ perceptions of expectations and family communication patterns in the development of grandparent–grandchild relationships. Journal of Family Communication, 21(4), 287-305. https://doi.org/10.1080/15267431.2021.1976183
Giles, H., Noels, K. A., Williams, A., Ota, H., Lim, T. S., Ng, S. H., & Somera, L. (2003). Intergenerational communication across cultures: Young people’s perceptions of conversations with family elders, non-family elders and same-age peers. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 18(1), 1-32. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024854211638
Grosnoe, R., & Elder, G.H. (2002). Life course transitions, the generational stake, and grandparent-grandchildren relationships. Journal of Marriage and Family, 64(4), 1089-1096. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2002.01089.x
Harwood, J. (1998). Young adults’ cognitive representations of intergenerational conversations. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 26(1), 13-31. https://doi.org/10.1080/00909889809365489
Harwood, J. (2000a). Communicative predictors of solidarity in the grandparent-grandchild relationship. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 17(6), 743-766. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407500176
Harwood, J. (2000b). Communication media use in the grandparent-grandchildren relationship. Journal of Communication, 50(4), 57-58. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2000.tb02863.x
Harwood, J. (2001). Comparing grandchildren's and grandparents' stake in their relationship. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 53(3), 195-210. https://doi.org/10.2190/TUNX-H3GE-VF7V-DK
Harwood, J., & Lin, M. C. (2000). Affiliation, pride, exchange, and distance in grandparents' accounts of relationships with their college-aged grandchildren. Journal of Communication, 50(3), 31-47.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2000.tb02851.x
Harwood, J., McKee, J., & Lin, M. C. (2000). Younger and older adults' schematic representations of intergenerational communication. Communications Monographs, 67(1), 20-41. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637750009376493
Harwood, J., & Williams, A. (1998). Expectations for communication with positive and negative subtypes of older adults. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 47(1), 11-33. https://doi.org/10.2190/GW3C-5CNM-8DPD-N81E
Henwood, K., Giles, H., Coupland, J., & Coupland, N. (1993). Stereotyping and affect in discourse: Interpreting the meaning of elderly painful self-disclosures. In D. M. Mackie & D. L. Hamilton (Eds.), Affect, cognition and stereotyping: Interactive processes in group perception (pp.269-296). Academic Press.
Hummert, M. L. (1994). Stereotypes of the elderly and patronising speech. In M. L. Hummert, J. M. Wiemann & J. F. Nussbaum (eds.), Interpersonal communication in older adulthood: Interdisciplinary research (pp.162-184). Sage.
Hummert M. L. & Shaner, J. L. (1994). Patronising speech to the elderly as a function of the stereotyping. Communication Studies, 45(2), 145-158. https://doi.org/10.1080/10510979409368419
Lin, M. C., Harwood, J., & Bonnesen, J. (2002). Conversation topics and communication satisfaction in grandparent-grandchild relationships. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 21(3), 302-323. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X02021003
Lin, M. C., Harwood, J., & Hummert, M. L. (2008). Young adults’ intergenerational communication schemas in Taiwan and the USA. Journal of Language and Social Psychology. 27(1), 28-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X0730951
Lin, M. C., Zhang, Y. B., & Harwood, J. (2004). Taiwanese young adults’ intergenerational communication schemas. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 19(4), 321-342. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JCCG.0000044687.83806.3e
McGee, J. & Barker, M. (1982). Difference and dominance in old age: An exploration in social theory. International Journal of Aging and Human Development,15(4), 247-262. https://doi.org/10.2190/82NR-H8V2-6LNH-LF4N
National Statistics, R.O.C. (Taiwan). (2021). The latest indicators. Accessed at https://www.stat.gov.tw/public/Data/132162358VPAVQ8D.pdf (in Chinese)
Neugarten, B. L., & Weinstein, K. K. (1964). The Changing American Grandparent. Journal of Marriage and Family, 26(2), 199–204. https://doi.org/10.2307/349727
Ng, S. H., Liu, J. H., Weatherall, A., & Loong, C. S.F. (1997). Younger adults' communication experiences and contact with elders and peers. Human Communication Research, 24(1), 82-08. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.1997.tb00588.x
Nussbaum, J. F., & Bettini, L. M. (1994). Shared stories of the grandparent-grandchild relationship. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 39(1), 67-80. https://doi.org/10.2190/7WPK-LM6C-QCA4-GQ
Nussbaum, J. F., & Coupland, J. (Eds.) (1995). Handbook of communication and aging research. Erlbaum.
Presniakova, L.A. (2005). Sotsial’nyi, matcrial’nyi I cmotsional’nyi klimat starosti v Rossii [Social, material, and emotional climate for the elderly in Russia]. Otechestvennye Zapiski, 3, 56-68.
Romanov, A. (2009). Communication satisfaction and topics of conversation in grandparent-grandchild communication in Russia. Russian Journal of Communication, 2(1-2), 26-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/19409419.2009.10756736
Ruiz, S. A., & Silverstein, M. (2007). Relationships with grandparents and the emotional well-being of late adolescent and young adult grandchildren. Journal of Social Issues, 63(4), 793-808. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2007.00537.x
Ryan, E. B., Giles, H., Bartolucci, G., & Henwood, K. (1986). Psycholinguistic and social psychological components of communication by and with the elderly. Language & Communication, 6(1-2), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/0271-5309(86)90002-9
Salazar, L.R., Khandelwal, P. & Castillo, Y. (2022) The effects of received grandmothers’ affection on adult grandchildren’s health behaviors using affection exchange theory. BMC Public Health 22, 714. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13049-4
Sharps, M. J., Price-Sharps, J. L. & Hanson, J. (1998). Attitudes of young adults toward older adults: Evidence from the United States and Thailand. Educational Gerontology, 24(7), 655-660. https://doi.org/10.1080/0360127980240703
Silverstein, M., & Long, J. D. (1998). Trajectories of grandparents' perceived solidarity with adult grandchildren: A growth curve analysis over 23 Years. Journal of Marriage and Family, 60(4), 912-923. https://doi.org/10.2307/353634
Soliz, J., & Harwood, J. (2003). Perceptions of communication in a family relationship and the reduction of intergroup prejudice. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 31(4), 320-345. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369681032000132582
Soliz, J., & Harwood, J. (2006). Shared family identity, age salience, and intergroup contact: Investigation of the grandparent-grandchildren relationship. Communication Monographs, 73(1), 87-107. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637750500534388
Soliz, J., Lin, M.-C, Anderson, K., & Harwood, J. (2006). Friends and allies: Communication in grandparent-grandchildren relationships. In K. Floyd & M. Mormon (Eds.), Widening the family circle: New research on family communication (pp. 63-79). Sage.
Stuart, S., Vanderhoof, D., & Beukelman, D. (1993). Topic and vocabulary use patterns of elderly women. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 9(2), 95-110. https://doi.org/10.1080/07434619312331276481
Thiele, D. M., & Whelan, T. A. (2008). The relationship between grandparent satisfaction, meaning, and generativity. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 66(1), 21-48. https://doi.org/10.2190/AG.66.1.b
Tomlin, A. M. (1998). Grandparents’ influences on grandchildren. In M. E. Szinovacz (Ed.), Handbook on grandparenthood (pp.159-170). Greenwood.
Webb, L. (1985). Common topics of conversation between young adults and their grandparents. Communication Research Reports, 2(1), 156-163.
Williams, A., & Giles, H. (1996). Intergenerational conversations: Young adults’ retrospective accounts. Human Communication Research, 23(2), 220-250. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.1996.tb00393.x
Young, L. W. L. (1994). Crosstalk and culture in Sino-American communication. Cambridge University Press.