Abstract:

Intergenerational relationships in the U.S. & Yugoslavia are contrasted in terms of two opposing models: (1) an American one stressing self-realization, independence, & individualism, & (2) a Yugoslavian one characterized by kinship corporacy, interdependence, & familial symbiosis & reciprocity. Differences in the role of the aged in these two societies are explained in terms of underlying systems of values & basic assumptions as reflected in family structure & process. With the emphasis in America on individualism & socioeconomic independence, aging is associated with isolation & inactivity, while the Yugoslavians who value mutual dependence in extended family relationships remain in old age an intricate part of the family.