Paper published in a journal (Scientific congresses, symposiums and conference proceedings)Intergenerational value transmission within the family and the role of emotions.
Albert, Isabelle; Michels, Tom; Ferring, Dieter
2010 • In Proceedings of 5th Congress of the European Society of Family Relations 2010, p. 1-1
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Abstract :
[en] The intergenerational transmission of values from one generation to the next is a crucial task of the family as primary socialization agent. Aspects that characterize the family context (such as parenting, communication style, relationship quality) may serve as transmission belts enhancing (or hindering) the intrafamilial transfer of values. Although the importance of emotions of parents and their children has been acknowledged, their role in the transmission process has only rarely been addressed empirically. For several reasons one can assume that emotions have an essential function in the transfer of values from parents to their offspring. As demonstrated by cognitive psychology, contents that are linked to emotions are remembered more easily. Further, one can assume that the valence of emotions influences the internalization process: While positive emotions towards the transmitter should enhance attention to value messages and willingness of the recipient to take over these values, negative emotions should reduce the recipient’s readiness to take over specific values. The aim of the present study is to investigate in how far value similarity between mothers and adolescents is linked to their positive or negative emotions towards each other. A sample of N = 95 mother-adolescent dyads living in Luxembourg was studied by means of a standardized questionnaire measuring four general value orientations, namely self-direction, hedonism, conformism and benevolence as well as positive and negative emotions of both mothers and adolescents. Results indicate that positive emotions of adolescents towards their mothers were related with higher value similarity, whereas negative and ambivalent emotions were related to lower value similarity. Also for mothers, negative emotions were related to lower value similarity with their children. Results are discussed with respect to intrafamilial processes underlying the regulation of intergenerational relations and the transmission of values.