This study examined the relationship between the three key elements of grand-generativity (Erikson, Erikson, & Kivnick, 1986) and several socio-cultural factors. Grand-generativity is a reworking of middle adulthood generativity under new conditions in old age and its primary concerns are reciprocity of caring, grandparenthood, and legacy through personal example. The expression of grand-generativity may be affected by the experience of immigration which presents the older adult with the dual challenge of acculturation and environmental disruption. Sixty-nine Korean immigrant participants were recruited from three ethnically diverse government subsidized senior housing apartments in Chicago. The sample consisted of three cohort groups: 22 young-old (mean age = 71.5 years); 35 old-old (mean age = 79.8 years); and 12 oldest-old (mean age = 88.0 years). The overall results revealed that the expression of grand-generativity is relatively stable across the age cohort groups and that grand-generativity was significantly associated with the level of acculturation, household occupation, and especially family relationship. These findings and their implications are discussed in the context of Confucianism, a dominant ideology in Korea, with its teaching of filial piety. © 2005, Institute of Aging Studies.

immigrants Grand-generativity Korean elders

personal experience controlled study occupation environmental factor immigrant cohort analysis Aged household Korea ethnicity social class grandparent geriatric care personal value Article human human experiment family relation