Effects
of Age and Relation on Intergenerational Communication: A Survey
Study in Beijing
X.D. Yue & S.H. Ng |
This
study examined how age and relation might affect intergenerational
communication among a sample of 90 young people (aged between 18-22)
and 77 older people (age 60 and above) in Beijing. The results provided
limited support for a hypothesised age and relation effect on how
the participants reflected on their conversational experiences with
people of different ages and familial relations to them. For the
young participants, parents demonstrated most accommodative behaviours
while family elders demonstrated the least. For the older participants,
adult children (and spouses) were most accommodative while non-family
youths were least accommodative. Participants' positive politeness
behaviours were significantly correlated with their communication
partners' accommodative and non-accommodative behaviours to them
respectively. The paper concludes by addressing the methodological
implications of the present study on further studies on the issue. Key words: intergenerational communication, Chinese society |