ABSTRACT
This chapter examines cultural perspectives on intergenerational communication. At the time of writing, and in spite of the recent surge of research interest in communication and aging, there is very little research that specifically examines intergenerational communication across different cultures. Most of the existing research about communication and aging is almost entirely Western. However, interest in life-span issues and intergenerational communication across different cultures is growing, and there is increasing potential for future research across a variety of cultural contexts. This chapter discusses intergenerational communication in Eastern contexts. Beginning with a brief overview of the philosophical roots of Eastern cultures, recent research concerned with aging and communication and intergenerational relationships is reviewed. Much of the research that is closely examined here is the result of a recent international project designed to investigate communication and aging across the Pacific Rim (e.g., see Gallois et al., 1996; Harwood et al., 1996). The results of this project and of other research outlined here are beginning to reveal some intriguing and unexpected differences between Eastern and Western approaches to age and communication. For the most part, this chapter focuses on comparisons between various Eastern and Western contexts, and on perceptions and attitudes based on survey data.
