Social Psychology Commons^™

Sharing Culture In A Tech World: Grandparent–Grandchild Cultural Exchanges Over Video Chat., Doug Piper, Subul Malik, A-Nya Badger, C. Washington, B. Valle, Gabrielle Strouse, Lauren J. Myers, Elisabeth Mcclure, Georgene L. Troseth, Jennifer M. Zosh, Rachel Barr

School of Education Faculty Publications

Grandparents who were separated from their infant grandchildren during COVID-19 sought other ways to connect, including video chat. Video chat supports learning, and its features (e.g., contingent responsiveness) may allow for cultural exchange. However, technological problems may disrupt these exchanges. In a semi-naturalistic, longitudinal study, 47 families submitted up to three video chats and surveys. Families were predominantly White/Caucasian, highly-educated, and lived between 1 and 2700 miles apart. Multilevel models were used to predict the proportion of the sessions devoted to exchanging culture (e.g., holidays, parenting advice) and managing tech problems. Culture exchange did not change as a function of …