Inter-generational contact from a network perspective

Pathways for resource – or other – exchanges within families have long been known to be dependent on the structure of relations between generations (Agree et al., 2005; Fuller-Thomson et al., 1997; Silverstein, 2011; Treas & Marcum, 2011). Much life course research has theorized models of inter-generational exchange – including, the ‘sandwich generation’ (Miller, 1981) and the ‘skipped generation’ pathways (Chalfie, 1994) – but there is little work relating these theories to relevant network mechanisms such as liaison brokerage (Gould & Fernandez, 1989) and other triadic configurations (Davis & Leinhardt, 1972; Wasserman & Faust, 1994). To address this, a survey of models of resource allocation between members of inter-generational households from a network perspective is introduced in this paper. Exemplary data come from health discussion networks among Mexican-origin multi-generational households.