Problematic Relationships
Researchers have determined that people experience fewer problems with their close friends and family as they grow older. Our research has examined the reasons underlying this change, including: 1) the types of problems individuals report with different social partners, 2) negative emotions people of different ages experience when upset with their social partners, 3) behaviors they use to deal with these emotions (e.g., communicating openly versus avoiding the problem), and 4) the way individuals think about problems (e.g., blaming the other party vs. focusing on their role in the situation).
Our initial study of this topic involved nearly 200 individuals aged 13 to 99 who completed in-depth interviews concerning their close and problematic social partners. Our ongoing studies pursue research questions arising from what we've learned about adults of different ages and their social partners.
* We are currently looking for parents aged 40-65 for a new study on relationships with grown children. If you are interested, please contact us at adultfamily@purdue.edu or at (765) 496-6378
Publications on Social Ties:
Fingerman, K. L., & Pitzer, L. M. (in press). Socialization in old age. To appear in P. D. Hastings & J. E. Grusec (Eds.), Handbook of Socialization. Guilford Press.
Birditt, K. S., Fingerman, K. L., & Almeida, D. (2005). Age differences in exposure and reactions to interpersonal tensions: A daily diary study. Psychology & Aging, 20(2), 330-340. [.pdf file]
Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2005). Do we get better at picking our battles? Age differences in descriptions of behavioral reactions to interpersonal tensions. Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 60B, P121-P128. [.pdf file]
Hay, E. L., & Fingerman, K. L. (2005). Age differences in perceptions of control in social relationships. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 60, 53-75. [.pdf file]
Fingerman, K. L., Hay, E. L., & Birditt, K. S. (2004). The best of ties, the worst of ties: Close, problematic, and ambivalent relationships across the lifespan. Journal of Marriage and Family, 66, 792-808. [.pdf file]
Fingerman, K. L., & Hay, E. L. (2004). Intergenerational ambivalence in the context of the larger social network. In K. Luescher & K. Pillemer (Eds.), Intergenerational ambivalence. Amsterdam : Elsevier/JAI Press.
Fingerman, K. L. (2004). The consequential stranger: Peripheral ties across the life span. In F. Lang & K. L. Fingerman (Eds.), Growing together: Personal relationships across the life span (pp. 183-209). New York : Cambridge University Press. [.pdf file]
Lefkowitz, E. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2003). Positive and negative emotional feelings and behaviors in mother-daughter ties in late life. Journal of Family Psychology, 17, 607 - 617. [.pdf file]
Birditt, K. S., & Fingerman, K. L. (2003). Age and gender differences in adults' emotional reactions to interpersonal tensions. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 58B, P237-P245. [.pdf file]
Fingerman, K. L., & Birditt, K. S. (2003). Do age differences in close and problematic family ties reflect the pool of available relatives? Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 58, P80-P87. [.pdf file]
Fingerman, K. L., & Griffiths, P. C. (1999). Season's greetings: Adults' social contact at the holiday season. Psychology and Aging, 14, 192-205. [.pdf file]
Fingerman, K. L. (1998). The good, the bad, and the worrisome: Complexities in grandparents' relationships with individual grandchildren. Family Relations, 47, 403-414. [.pdf file]
Fingerman, K. L. (1996). Sources of tension in the aging mother and adult daughter relationship. Psychology and Aging, 11, 591-606. [.pdf file]