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3 - Child-Parent Relationships

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2009

Frieder R. Lang
Affiliation:
Martin Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenburg, Germany
Karen L. Fingerman
Affiliation:
Purdue University, Indiana
Peter Noack
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Jena, Am Steiger 3/Haus 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
Heike M. Buhl
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Jena, Am Steiger 3/Haus 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
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Summary

The chapter gives an overview on the development of the relationships of parents and their offspring. While the selection of issues addressed is not meant to be comprehensive, the chapter focuses on conceptualizations and findings of particular relevance: Individuality and relatedness, the active role that parents and their offspring play in shaping their relationship, the importance of a biographical perspective on relationship development, and contextual influences on child-parent relationships. The chapter concludes with consideration of directions for future research.

Child-parent relationships are special. This is obviously true on an individual level. For example, children see their parents as outstanding people – at least up until the transition to adolescence. Likewise, some parents are infatuated with their children and expect much of their sons and daughters, sometimes to the point of overtaxing their abilities and patience. At the same time, child-parent relationships, in general, have features that give them a particular significance. As compared to other types of relationships, bonds between parents and their offspring are of an extremely long-standing nature. Moreover, when parents and children interact, aspects of socialization and education tend to play a more important role than is the case among siblings, friends, or romantic partners. Finally, it has to be recognized that child-parent relationships represent an intergenerational constellation.

Relationships between children and parents surpass most other relationships in duration. We take Germany as a case in point.

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  • Child-Parent Relationships
    • By Peter Noack, Department of Psychology, University of Jena, Am Steiger 3/Haus 1, 07743 Jena, Germany, Heike M. Buhl, Department of Psychology, University of Jena, Am Steiger 3/Haus 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
  • Frieder R. Lang, Martin Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenburg, Germany, Karen L. Fingerman, Purdue University, Indiana
  • Book: Growing Together
  • Online publication: 02 September 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511499852.003
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  • Child-Parent Relationships
    • By Peter Noack, Department of Psychology, University of Jena, Am Steiger 3/Haus 1, 07743 Jena, Germany, Heike M. Buhl, Department of Psychology, University of Jena, Am Steiger 3/Haus 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
  • Frieder R. Lang, Martin Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenburg, Germany, Karen L. Fingerman, Purdue University, Indiana
  • Book: Growing Together
  • Online publication: 02 September 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511499852.003
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Child-Parent Relationships
    • By Peter Noack, Department of Psychology, University of Jena, Am Steiger 3/Haus 1, 07743 Jena, Germany, Heike M. Buhl, Department of Psychology, University of Jena, Am Steiger 3/Haus 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
  • Frieder R. Lang, Martin Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenburg, Germany, Karen L. Fingerman, Purdue University, Indiana
  • Book: Growing Together
  • Online publication: 02 September 2009
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511499852.003
Available formats
×