Gender Differences in Adult Sibling Relations in Two‐Child Families

Abstract

We examine affective closeness, contact, and helping among adult siblings using data for over 1,500 respondents in 2‐child families from the National Survey of Families and Households. Using this subsample allows us to investigate differences by gender of respondent and of individual siblings using a nationally representative sample. We find that siblings are central to the lives of adults; most sibling relationships involve frequent contact and positive feelings. Sister pairs phone and exchange advice more often than do other sibling pairs. Women are more likely than men to report feeling close to or getting along with their sibling. We find no consistent differences in visiting. Giving and receiving help appear to reflect gendered forms of intimacy and of household labor.

Young Adult Sibling Relations: The Effects of Perceived Parental Favoritism and Narcissism

“…Their results showed that the caretaker and buddy types of relationship could be clustered into the warmth domain of Stocker, Lanthier, and Furman's (1997) questionnaire, whereas casual siblings would resolve their sibling rivalry to a degree sufficient to establish a loyal but apathetic relationship; and in those cases where rivalry resulted in interpersonal conflict, the siblings may maintain hostile relationships. Based on a national survey of families and households among 13,007 respondents over 19 years of age, Spitze and Trent (2006) reported that women were more likely than men to report getting along well with their siblings, and that their siblings were among their closest friends. However, Wu Shortt and Gottman (1997) found no evidence that sibling closeness could be explained by gender or other family variables, in their sample participants between the ages of 18 and 30 years.…”

“…This study therefore investigated the role of the perception of parental unequal treatment, narcissism, and sense of similarity or dissimilarity in perceptions of warmth and conflict between siblings, which we assume to be of great importance not only in childhood but also in young adulthood (Scharf, Shulman, & Avigad-Spitz, 2005;Spitze & Trent, 2006). This is considered from a developmental perspective in which parental differential treatment of siblings is seen as shaping narcissistic traits and thus sibling relationships themselves.…”

“…Women are described as closer to their siblings than men are since they tend to be kin-keepers and tend to emotional closeness. However, other results have been varied or inconclusive as to gender differences (e.g., Spitze & Trent, 2006). We initially discuss sibling relationships in young adulthood (taking gender into account as well), followed by a review of the links between parental unequal treatment, narcissism, and siblings relationships.…”

Family Networks and Psychological Well-Being in Midlife

“…The absence of attention to adult siblings is surprising, given that family scholars have documented the important role that siblings play in one another's lives throughout the life course. In particular, adult siblings typically express feelings of closeness, conflict, and ambivalence toward one another (Antonucci et al 2004;Fingerman et al 2004;Gilligan et al 2013;Suitor et al 2009), maintain contact (Connidis and Campbell 1995;Spitze and Trent 2006) and continue to exchange emotional and instrumental support (Campbell et al 1999;Connidis and Campbell 1995;White 2001;White and Riedmann 1992). In fact, for many individuals the sibling tie is one of the most enduring kin relations across the life course (Bedford and Avioli 2012).…”

Influencia de los hermanos en el comportamiento sexual de riesgo y preventivo: una revisión

“…De acuerdo con Brody (1998) en las diadas fraternas del mismo sexo se genera mayor compatibilidad, calidez y cercanía, por tanto, esta condición afectiva genera una relación más sóli-da y en consecuencia se incrementa la probabilidad de que se lleve a cabo la imitación del hermano menor y el modelado del hermano mayor (Brody, 1998;Buist, et al, 2013). Sin embargo, principalmente las diadas fraternas del sexo femenino se caracterizan por ser intensas en el compañerismo e intimidad, a diferencia de las díadas de hermanos varones y mixtas (Spitze, & Trent, 2006); inclusive, en el caso de las mujeres, las relaciones estrechas no solamente permiten el modelado de la hermana mayor hacia la menor, sino también se torna como una condición que facilita la comunicación sexual fraterna (Kowal, & Blinn-Pike, 2004). Lo anterior cobra sentido si se considera el impacto que tiene el estereotipo de género femenino, el cual se torna descriptivo y prescriptivo de lo que se espera a nivel sociocultural de las mujeres en una relación, es decir, la expectativa sobre ellas en comparación de ellos, es que ejerzan un rol afectivo y emocional en el momento de relacionarse con otros (Rocha-Sánchez, & Díaz-Loving, 2005).…”