Sociology

Analysis of the article "Sibling Relationships over the Life Course, A Panel Analysis" by Lynn White Volume 63 pages 555-568

The objective of this analysis was to examine the change in four behavioral measures of sibling relationships which are proximity, contact, giving help, and receiving help. It is hypothesized that all four measures decrease during early adult and contacts and proximity stabilize during middle age. Sibling exchange demonstrates a slight rise after age 70. This analysis was conducted to examine where in the sibling's life course does these four behavioral measures decrease or even increase. These life course analyses provide a modest support for a model in which siblings substitute for parents, spouses and children. Measured life course changes do not explain observed age effects.

In the activities that occupy the foreground in adult lives, a sibling plays a minor role, but if one shifts his or her perspective from daily life to a lifetime perspective, siblings play a more prominent role. Siblings are those with whom one closely shares genetic, family, social class, and historical background and to whom one is tied for a lifetime by a network of family relationships. Research on sibling relationships tends to focus primarily on childhood or old age. Along with parents, siblings form crucial reference points in the development of identity and attachment in early childhood. The chief developmental task in adulthood is individualization.

The research consisted of two waves of interviews by the NSFH (National Survey of Families and Households.) These two waves interviewed 9,000 individuals ages 16-85 and the first wave was from 1987-1988, the second wave was 1992-1994. The sample design over sampled African Americans, Latinos, Puerto Ricans, the recently married, cohabiters and those in step families. The response to these surveys was 74.6 percent. Those over 85 were omitted as to reduce the likely hood that age effects would be distorted by small numbers. Four behavioral measures were used and the first wave asked about step and full siblings except for 366 individuals