Gender, relationships, and social interaction among senior citizens

The present study was designed to examine the effects of gender and relationship on the quantity and quality of daily social interaction for senior citizens. Eighty-two women and 32 men (mean age 71 years) used the Rochester Interaction Record to record quantitative and qualitative information about every interaction which lasted more than 10 minutes for 2 weeks. Gender analyses revealed that same-gender interaction was most common for all participants (spouse excluded). Males and females reported that interactions with females only were more intimate than interactions with males only or with mixed-gender others. Spousal analyses showed that participants interacted with spouse as much as with same-gender others, however, spousal interactions were reported to be more intimate than same or opposite-gender interactions. Participants reported interacting with nonfamily more than with family. In addition, interactions with family were reported to be qualitatively equal to interactions with nonfamily. For future research it will be important to consider how these quantitative and qualitative characteristics of interaction relate to well-being.