PHENOMENON OF GRANDPARENTHOOD AND THE HISTORY OF ITS RESEARCH

We have analyzed the concept of “grandparenthood” in the Ukrainian and foreign literature. Much attention was aimed at the investigation of different types of grandparents and classification of their interaction. The role of grandparents as agents of initial personal socialization was analyzed. During the research we have determined that the most prominent in the American psychology in the 1960's was the following classification of grandparents' interaction with their grandchildren: formal (applying the accepted in the society role model of interaction); fun-seeking (having fun together); distant-figure (rare contact, which appears under special circumstances). According to these styles of grandparents' interaction with grandchildren, we have created this classification of grandparents: “companions”, “distant”, and “involved”. “Companions” live close to or together with grandchildren and temporarily perform nurturing functions, but they are reluctant to perform disciplinary or authoritative functions, they occupy the position of ‘non-interference' into the process of upbringing. They keep hierarchy in the family relationships. “Distant” relationships between grandparents and grandchildren are not close, as there is territorial isolation of the older generation from the grandchildren. “Involved” grandparents perform a lot of parenting roles, sometimes substituting the missing parents, who are too busy with work, divorced, or the ones who are sick and need constant medical attention. We have outlined which direction should the future investigation of the problem of grandparenthood take and develop.