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    The stereotyping of 'old people' : a qualitative exploration of preschool children's constructions of older adults : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Hebenton, Kate
    Despite an ageing population, in Western countries, children and older adults are being provided fewer opportunities to spend time together. Intergenerational (IG) programmes were developed to intentionally bring these two groups together, for the mutual benefit of both parties. However, the voices of children, particularly preschool aged children, are often excluded from the research focussing on these programmes. The aim of the current research was to explore the experiences of the preschool children engaged in a shared-site intergenerational programme, based in New Zealand, and to explore the children’s constructions of older adults. Seventeen children participated in the study, aged between 3 and 5 years old. Methodological choices were ethnographically informed, and included interviews, observations, photographs, and the children’s drawings. Analysis of the data from all four methods produced two key themes. The first revealed that the relationships the children developed with the older adults were with this group as a collective, rather than with particular individuals. Although the children were able to experience individual connections with older adults, these were dependent on the context, and often temporary. The second theme detailed how the children understood what it means to be an older adult, which involved the identification of its group members. The children held a belief that old age was manifested physically, and each child used a singular physical feature of old age to identify older adults as a group. This focus on the physical highlighted the important role that observation played in the children’s developing conceptualisation of older adults. These findings suggest that the children were stereotyping the older adults, but that there was no positive or negative judgement placed on these stereotypes, they just simply existed. They also support a discursive understanding of stereotypes, as opposed to a cognitive one, which is how much of the existing literature conceptualises stereotyping. Finally, the findings demonstrate that very young children are capable of participating in qualitative research, and that they have important and interesting contributions to offer. Future research should prioritise the inclusion of these voices and would benefit from the use of multiple methods to engage children.
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    "How is distance grandparenting for you?" A study of long haul, New Zealand distance grandparents and inter-generational transnational familying : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Social Anthropology at Massey University, Albany, Auckland, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Ellis, Helen P.
    This thesis is the first academic study of New Zealand distance grandparents by a New Zealander. It is based on eight, in-depth qualitative, ethnographic interviews with distant grandparents whose global families live 20 – 30 hours flight travel away. I ask the question: “How is distance grandparenting for you?” My findings complement, to a large degree, the existing handful of similar global studies of this prolific but little researched contemporary kinship phenomenon. The participants’ responses and my analysis contribute to this literature by focusing on communication, the ambiguity of relationships, emotions, ‘being there’ and the practical realities, now and into the future. I bring to this discussion three factors which combined promise a unique contribution. First, I have known my participants for an average of 14 years. This infuses, on occasions, a deeper discerning to the participants’ responses that goes beyond our 1½ hour formal interviews and assists to paint a more longitudinal picture of each family ‘package’. Second, I am a 20+ year veteran of transnational familying with most, not just some, of my family living permanently far overseas. This affords me the opportunity, via autoethnographic methods, to weave an additional insider richness by way of personal reflections, encounters and storytelling. Finally, during the lead up and delivery of this project I lived through some of the most challenging times of my own transnational kinship journey. Rather than keep these family trials and tribulations private, I have shared them, exposing my vulnerability and a rawness of emotion that takes the reader to a place and understanding of transnational, intergenerational familying they may not have otherwise got to (Ruth Behar 1996:14). My argument is straightforward: how distance grandparenting is for my participants is the product of several interacting factors: their personal situation, their distance family and in-country family relationships, geographical boundaries and time zone restrictions along with cultural, religious and language issues. Furthermore, for my distance grandparents ‘Place’ is multi-sited: physically and psychologically. Distance grandparenting is ever changing, evolving and on occasions can be a lonely place. In general, my New Zealand distance grandparents ‘make the most’ of their situations accepting the good with the bad, the ‘pros and the cons’, and maintain an upbeat stance.
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    Intergenerational attitudes and experiences of older adults : a narrative analysis set within a retirement village participating in a intergenerational programme (IGP) : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2018) Macfarlane, Joanna
    iPlayed is an intergenerational programme (IGP) taking place between residents of a retirement village in Wellington, New Zealand and preschoolers at a childcare facility nearby. IGPs have been designed to address an increasingly age segregated society and have been shown to have multiple benefits for older people, including generativity (a need to nurture and guide younger people). As no research on the IGP experience of older adults exists in New Zealand, this research aimed to not only understand this, from the older adults’ perspective, but to also understand their views and experiences of IGPs in general, and about preschool aged children. In-depth interviews were conducted with eighteen retirement village dwelling older adults about their experiences and then analysed using narrative analysis. From the eight identified narratives the iPlayed experience was found to be a brief, life affirming experience and one in which they had to adopt certain roles in order to enhance enjoyment. Beyond this, no deeper meaning was assigned to it. The influence of ageing being a time of contribution back to society was evident, and, for some, iPlayed was positioned within this narrative as an option to accomplish this. iPlayed was also located within the context of a retirement village as a means to reclaim some of the social identity lost through moving to this environment. Deep meaning was ascribed to the role of great grandparent or grandparent and familial generative exchanges were identified as operating indirectly through the parents of the preschoolers and not via an exchange of cultural artefacts, wisdom or knowledge with the young child. With non-kin children, the traditional direction of generativity was challenged, with older adults implying that the younger person’s knowledge of modern technologies was of more benefit to them compared to what they had to offer. Participants identified that, in general, interacting with preschool aged children is stimulating and beneficial, but is not for all older people. In its current design iPlayed was queried, by those not participating in it, for how this might be impacting on its ability to provide an opportunity for older people to be generative or even as a means for people to contribute to the community they live within. These findings recognise a different social milieu in operation today, the experience of ageing in New Zealand and how intergenerational exchange fits within this. Set amongst the powerful social narrative to age ‘successfully’ active today, this research has identified that IGPs can carry out an important role within this structuring force. Building on from this study, researchers should aim to further understand the views and perceptions of older people on younger people which will, in turn, help policymakers and IGP developers harness the best of what both young and old have to offer each other. Finally, for those working in the IGP field, the concept of generativity between non-kin older people and preschoolers needs further exploration.