SPP 1161:  Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Familiy Dynamics (PAIRFAM)

• Subject Area: Social and Behavioural Sciences
• Term: from 2004 to 2010
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5472031

Research within the Priority Programme PAIRFAM is based on a multi level theory of individual behaviour following the theoretical approach of bounded rationality. Intimate relationship and family dynamics are studied as an integrated part of multidimensional individual life courses. In order to model and explain mutual influences in actors’ life courses adequately, individual decision-making and developmental processes have to be tracked over the time, including their motivational and contextual conditions and their consequences for future action. In particular the following closely related aspects shall be modelled and empirically analysed: establishment and development of intimate relationships, family development and fertility, intergenerational relations, and (in-)stability of couples’ and family relations. An analysis of relevant social contexts including social networks will be conducted within the scope of a multidimensional, multi-level-design. Finally, the developmental conditions of the next generation have to be investigated as influenced by the biographical background of its parents, their current resources and options, structures of social inequality, and the quality of family relationships.
For this research programme a long-term panel survey is necessary to get the required prospective longitudinal data. The sample will consist of men and women of three selected age groups, their partners as well as their parents and children.
The multidisciplinary access guarantees that the different levels of analysis and systems of influence can be included reasonably - from the macro level of social structure and labour market factors to the micro level of social relations in single contexts and social networks down to the personal level of individual dispositions.
In preparation of such a panel study during the first four years of the Priority Programme PAIRFAM, numerous projects are conducted to improve the theoretical and methodological concepts and to develop new survey instruments in regard to different substantive issues. All projects follow the action theoretic frame of the Priority Programme. By means of a three wave "Mini-Panel", support in data collection for the concomitant projects shall be provided to give an opportunity for realistic tests of suitability of instruments in a panel study. The planned panel study will start in the fifth year of the Priority Programme.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes

Projects

• Bewältigungskompetenzen in Erwachsenenpartnerschaften und ihre Transmission auf angehörige Kinder: Untersuchungen zur Stabilität und Entwicklung; Zusammenhänge mit der Partnerschaftsqualität und Fertilität (Applicant Reichle, Barbara )
• Das Timing der Familiengründung. Determinanten familiären Planungs- und Entscheidungsverhaltens im Lebensverlauf (Applicant Huinink, Johannes )
• Das Timing der Institutionalisierung partnerschaftlicher Beziehungen (Applicant Kopp, Johannes )
• Der Heiratsmarkt: Entwicklung eines Erhebungsinstruments zur Erklärung familiendemographischer Prozesse (Applicant Klein, Thomas )
• Die Konsequenzen räumlicher Mobilität für Partnerschaft und Familie (Applicant Abraham, Martin )
• Die Stabilität von Partnerschaften und Ehen (Applicant Hill, Paul B. )
• Die Verhandlungsfamilie. Empirische Evidenz familienökonomischer Verhandlungsmodelle (Applicant Ott, Notburga )
• Entwicklung eines VOC-Instrumentariums und eines Instrumentes zur Erfassung von Generationenbeziehungen in Deutschland (Applicant Nauck, Bernhard )
• Entwicklungsfahrpläne und Familienentwicklung: Die Rolle von beziehungsbezogener Ambivalenz (Applicant Pinquart, Martin )
• Familienerweiterung als dynamischer Prozess: Entscheidungen zu timing, spacing und stopping von Kindergeburten (Applicant Sackmann, Reinhold )
• Interdependenzen zwischen beruflichen und verwandtschaftlichen Netzwerken im Kontext der Familiengründung und -entwicklung (Applicants Diewald, Martin ;  Lang, Frieder R. )
• Interdependenzen zwischen beruflichen und verwandtschaftlichen Netzwerken im Kontext der Familiengründung und -entwicklung (Applicant Lang, Frieder R. )
• Koordinationsprojekt für das Schwerpunktprogramm "Beziehungs- und Familienentwicklung" (Applicant Huinink, Johannes )
• Liebesbeziehungen im Jugend- und frühen Erwachsenenalter (Applicant Walper, Sabine )
• Paarkonflikte, Kommunikation und die Stabilität von Partnerschaften (Applicant Wagner, Michael )
• Panel-Vorstudie zur Beziehungs- und Familienentwicklung (Applicant Huinink, Johannes )
• Panel-Vorstudie zur Beziehungs- und Familienentwicklung (Applicant Nauck, Bernhard )
• Panel-Vorstudie zur Beziehungs- und Familienentwicklung (Applicant Walper, Sabine )
• Panelprojekt PAIRFAM (Applicants Brüderl, Josef ;  Huinink, Johannes ;  Nauck, Bernhard ;  Walper, Sabine )
• Soziale Einbettung und Paarbeziehungen (Applicant Esser, Hartmut )
• Vorstudie zur Befragung von Personen mit Migrationshintergrund (Applicant Nauck, Bernhard )

• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Johannes Huinink