INTERGENERATIONAL CONTINUITIES AND THEIR INFLUENCES ON CHILDRENS SOCIAL-DEVELOPMENT

The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of th e recent efforts by psychologists to explore intergenerational continu ities and their influences on children's social development. A primary criterion for inclusion in the review was use of three generations of subjects represented in the research, although two generation studies were included to supplement or expand upon the conclusions drawn from three generation studies. The following domains of research were revi ewed. (1) literature regarding the repetition of child abuse across ge nerations, (2) research examining the intergenerational continuity of attachment status, (3) investigations of the continuity, of parenting and childrearing behavior parents experienced with their own parents, (4) research examining intergenerational continuities in parenting inv olving non-human primates, and (5) investigations of intergenerational continuities in both peer and sibling relationships. Across all liter atures reviewed evidence It as found for intergenerational continuity with gender of parent affecting results. Two primary! mechanisms for t ransmission appear to be cognitive schemas of relationships and modeli ng. A paradigm is proposed describing possible means of intergeneratio nal transmission of influence on the social development of children.