Who Learns from Whom? Environmental Intergenerational Relations

The communication is a contribution to knowledge of social and environmental intergenerational relationships, specifically the role of grandparents and grandchildren in the acquisition and transmission of values, habits and environmental attitudes.

In advanced Western societies older people have regained some influence on the learning of their grandchildren. The lengthening of life expectancy , medical and health improvements and economic security guarantees due to the performance of the (increasingly reduced ) welfare state , allow these groups to reach old age in good physical, economic and emotional . This allows them to devote their time to training activities , leisure and sports , but also help your children in all aspects , especially in raising their grandchildren , going with them a large number of hours per day due to long working double shifts and parents.

This common time they share grandparents and grandchildren can be used to transfer knowledge and new learning from each other. Much of today's grandparents have lived through times of scarcity and have learned to conserve and effectively manage scarce resources available, having generated habits generally keep still . Meanwhile Grandchildren were born in times of plenty and much of their education is based on consumption , comfort and opulence , but also have been influenced by their teachers and media in exercising habits that could called sustainable.

Our work, based on surveys and focus groups, aims to contribute to knowledge of how interact grandparents and grandchildren in the mutual transfer of environmental attitudes and habits; what kind of sustainable habits between generations reproduce. In short, try to know who learns from whom.