Same-sex and cross-sex relationships

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Sociology
• Psychology

Background:

• Close relationships are crucial for older adults' well-being.
• Understanding the dynamics of same-sex and cross-sex relationships in later life is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine psychological closeness, geographical proximity, and support exchange in older adults' same-sex and cross-sex relationships.
• To investigate how relationship types (spouse, children, siblings, friends) influence these characteristics.
• To explore shifts in relationship networks, particularly female salience, during widowhood.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a national probability sample survey of older adults.
• Analyzed three relational characteristics: psychological closeness, geographical proximity, and support exchange.
• Examined four types of close relationships: spouse, children, siblings, and friends.

Main Results:

• Older adults tend to have more women in their social networks and receive more support from them.
• Despite increased support, closeness (psychological or geographical) to women is not necessarily greater than to men.
• A shift towards female salience in networks is observed when individuals become widowed and require more support.

Conclusions:

• While women play a significant role in older adults' support networks, particularly during widowhood, this does not always translate to greater psychological or geographical closeness compared to men.
• Findings contribute to understanding sex differences in close relationships, considering principles of relation hierarchy, femaleness, and sex commonality.