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Showing papers in "Social Indicators Research in 1985"


Book ChapterDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a fairly thorough account of multiple discrepancies theory is presented, with a review of its historical antecedents and an examination of its strength in accounting for the happiness (H) and satisfaction (S) of nearly 700 university undergraduates.
Abstract: A fairly thorough account of multiple discrepancies theory (MDT) is presented, with a review of its historical antecedents and an examination of its strength in accounting for the happiness (H) and satisfaction (S) of nearly 700 university undergraduates. Basically, MDT asserts that H and S are functions of perceived gaps between what one has and wants, relevant others have, the best one has had in the past, expected to have 3 years ago, expects to have after 5 years, deserves and needs. MDT explained 49% of the variance in H, 53% in global S and 50% or more in 7 out of 12 domain S scores. The domains studied were health, finances, family, job, friendships, housing, area, recreation, religion, self-esteem, transportation and education.

811 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Satisfaction With Life Scale emerged as a good measure of general life satisfaction and the Affective Intensity Measure appeared to adequately assess the characteristic level of emotional intensity as mentioned in this paper, while most other scales seemed to reflect both life-satisfaction and duration of positive versus negative affect.
Abstract: A number of subjective well-being scales were compared and evaluated. The Satisfaction With Life Scale emerged as a good measure of general life satisfaction and the Affective Intensity Measure appeared to adequately assess the characteristic level of emotional intensity. Most other scales seemed to reflect both life satisfaction and duration of positive versus negative affect. Of the single item measures, those created by Fordyce were the strongest, whereas for the multi-item scales, several performed at adequate levels. The widely used Bradburn scales showed several undesirable psychometric properties and alternative scales are suggested.

413 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The subjective well-being of very wealthy persons was compared with that of a control group who lived in the same geographical area as mentioned in this paper, and the 49 wealthy respondents reported average levels of subjective wellbeing which were higher than the 62 control group respondents and any subgroup of respondents in a national sample.
Abstract: The subjective well-being of very wealthy persons was compared with that of a control group who lived in the same geographical area. One hundred persons from Forbes list of wealthiest Americans were queried, as well as 100 control persons selected from telephone directories. The 49 wealthy respondents reported average levels of subjective well-being which were higher than the 62 control group respondents and any subgroup of respondents in a national sample. However, there were unhappy wealthy people and the average level of this group was only modestly higher than for other groups. None of the respondents believed that money is a major source of happiness. When the major sources of happiness mentioned by the two groups were coded for Maslow's needs, it was found that the wealthy group more often mentioned self-esteem and self-actualization and less frequently mentioned physiological and security needs.

273 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors combine these two perspectives on well-being to address the following two questions: (1) To what extent are perceptions of stress, internal and external control, social support, performance, anxiety, and depression determinants of life quality?
Abstract: Personality and social psychologists have recently focused on a number of issues which life quality researchers have also examined. This study combines these two perspectives on well-being to address the following two questions: (1) To what extent are perceptions of stress, internal and external control, social support, performance, anxiety, and depression determinants of life quality? (2) To what extent are the predictors of different aspects of life quality (affective, cognitive, global, specific domains) similar or different? Data were collected from 675 respondents in a longitudinal study. Respondents were interviewed four times, six weeks apart. Bivariate analyses, stepwise regressions, and structural modeling were used to analyze the data. The modeling results suggested that internal control, social support, and performance caused increased life quality, whereas stress and depression caused decreased life quality. Control by others did not relate to life quality. The positive affect component of life quality related most strongly to ‘positive’ psychological concepts. Similarly, the negative affect component of life quality related most strongly to ‘negative’ psychological concepts. The implications of these findings for future life quality research are described.

253 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present models of well-being and ill-being which integrate the effects of different types of independent variables using the more powerful techniques provided by the LISREL software.
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to present models of well-being and ill-being which integrate the effects of different types of independent variables. Using the more powerful techniques provided by the LISREL software, the paper replicates and extends analysis previously reported in SIR (Headey, Holmstrom and Wearing, 1984a).

145 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors compared the impact of a number of psychological processes on satisfaction judgments in a sample of 149 college students and found that social comparison and positive affect were strong predictors of satisfaction across most domains.
Abstract: A number of psychological processes (e.g. social comparison, aspirations) may explain why people differ in their satisfaction with various life domains. This study compared the impact of a number of such processes on satisfaction judgments in a sample of 149 college students. Social comparison and positive affect were strong predictors of satisfaction across most domains. Objective conditions and aspirations were predictive of satisfaction in few domains. The relevance of Multiple Discrepancies Theory (Michalos, 1983) for the present findings is discussed. Limitations of the present study are noted and suggestions for future research are offered. Researchers need to focus on the reasons underlying the predictability of different domains from different processes.

125 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, hope is defined as a predominance of expected future positive feelings over future expected negative feelings, comprised of both desire and expectation, involving the interaction of affect and cognition Modifications of Bradburn's Affective Balance Scale were used to measure hope and happiness.
Abstract: Hope is here operationalized as a predominance of expected future positive feelings over future expected negative feelings Hope, comprised of both desire and expectation, involves the interaction of affect and cognition Modifications of Bradburn's Affective Balance Scale were used to measure hope and happiness Four graphic rating scales were used to measure psychological well-being, perceived health, satisfaction, and happiness Hope, measured by the Expected Balance Scale correlated as expected with the other measures A factor analysis further supported the robustness of the hope variable Hope is offered as an important personality dimension worthy of continued research

107 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined and compared two global measures of perceived neighborhood quality: satisfaction and attachment, and found that satisfaction is each affected by social interaction in the neighborhood and that each can be distinguished by how strongly it taps the cognitive and affective components of well-being.
Abstract: This article examines and compares two global measures of perceived neighborhood quality: satisfaction and attachment. In doing this, the article expands upon the general satisfaction model by developing and testing a model of perceived neighborhood quality which is appropriate to both of these summary measures. Using survey data, the article demonstrates that satisfaction and attachment are each affected by social interaction in the neighborhood and that each can be distinguished by how strongly it taps the cognitive and affective components of well-being. The article also demonstrates the differential impact of general and local social status variables on each of the global measures as well as the impact of perceived homogeneity.

93 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated structural relationships among happiness scales, and determined whether the happiness construct could be represented adequately by a single score index in social indicators research by using second order principal factors analysis on six data sets representing eight samples of subjects.
Abstract: Our intent in this study was to investigate structural relationships among happiness scales, and to determine whether the happiness construct could be represented adequately by a single score index. Second order principal factors analyses were computed on six data sets representing eight samples of subjects where the variables were comprised of global or sub-global indices of happiness. Single factor solutions were obtained from every analysis. The findings were interpreted as, (1) supporting a hierarchical, rather than an orthogonal multicomponent, model of relationships among happiness scales and, (2) indicating that the construct can be represented adequately by a single score index in social indicators research.

84 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A summary of about ten years of methodological work conducted by Statistics Sweden on the Surveys of Living Conditions can be found in this paper, where the authors present a summary of the methodological work.
Abstract: In Sweden, surveys of living conditions have passed through the initial stages. We have been able to provide rough and broad descriptions of the health situation in different respects, housing standards within different population subgroups, distributions of income etc. Often the surveys, in Sweden as well as in other countries, have kept an acceptable standard with regard to sampling and non-response. However, regardless of whether the aim of the surveys is to supply relatively superficial statistics for official use or statistics for analytic research, a better control of measurement quality is needed. In this paper we present a summary of about ten years of methodological work conducted by Statistics Sweden on the Surveys of Living Conditions.

73 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a new housing indicator, marginal residential improvement priority, is introduced and is compared with residential satisfaction both theoretically and empirically, and it is shown that the former provides a superior indicator of households' housing preferences than the latter.
Abstract: The research challenges the conventional usage of households' residential satisfaction as a guide for housing policy and development. A new housing indicator, ‘marginal residential improvement priority’, is introduced and is compared with residential satisfaction both theoretically and empirically. Within the context of neoclassical consumer theory it is shown that the former provides a superior indicator of households' housing preferences than the latter. It is then demonstrated empirically that these conceptual distinctions make for significant differences when the indicators are employed in a practical application. Using a sample of 971 households drawn from Wooster, Ohio, the paper considers their evaluations of four general dimensions of the residential environment and six specific features of the dwelling. Zero-order correlations between the indicators average only 0.40 across these ten dimensions. Households' relative satisfaction with these various aspects diverge substantially from the priority they place on improving these aspects in the future, with rank-order correlations not differing significantly from zero. More specifically, all household strata gave public services their lowest improvement priority and dwelling quality their highest, regardless of their relative degree of satisfaction with the dimension. Similarly, most groups gave high priority to improving interior condition and room size and low priority to improving exterior condition, independent of their satisfaction. Thus, if the efficacy of a limited amount of resources invested in a housing policy is to be maximized, they should not necessarily be directed toward those features of the residential environment with which households are least satisfied.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a study was conducted to replicate some of the findings of Andrews and McKennell (1980), who examined affective, cognitive, and other components of global subjective well-being measures among respondents from the United States and Britain.
Abstract: A study was conducted to replicate some of the findings of Andrews and McKennell (1980), who examined affective, cognitive, and other components of global subjective well-being measures among respondents from the United States and Britain. Using data collected from 1068 Canadians, linear structural relations (LISREL) estimates of affective, cognitive, and error components of three global well-being measures provided general support for Andrews and McKennell's findings. Implications of the results, such as impact on the design of future studies and measures of subjective well-being, are discussed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors estimate a model in which changes in PQOL are seen as depending directly on changes in satisfaction with particular domains of life (marriage, job, etc.), which in turn are affected by life events occurring within these domains.
Abstract: Almost all previous research on PQOL has examined static relationships. This paper, based on two waves of an Australian panel study (N=677), investigates change. We estimate a model in which changes in PQOL are seen as depending directly on changes in satisfaction with particular domains of life (marriage, job, etc.), which in turn are affected by life events occurring within these domains. This model accords with a “bottom-up” rather than a “top-down” theory of PQOL or well-being (Diener, 1984).

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented new indicators of underemployment for whites, blacks, Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans by sex based on hours worked, education, skill utilization, and pay.
Abstract: New indicators of underemployment are presented for whites, blacks, Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans by sex. The indicators are based on hours worked, education, skill utilization, and pay. Data from the 1980 Current Population Survey are supplemented with Dictionary of Occupational Titles information to construct the indicators. Whites consistently have the lowest underemployment, and comparison across groups reveals the different types of employment problems faced by minorities and women. These indicators of underemployment are compared with those from a different conceptual approach (the Labor Utilization Framework) using the same survey data. The advantages of the new indicators are discussed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss the problem of isolating the impact of cultural bias from the other factors affecting how people perceive their quality of life and measuring it, and describe a method which is capable of doing this and report the results of using it to measure the relative cultural bias between respondents in Springfield, Illinois and Aixen-Provence, France.
Abstract: Cross-national research claims increasing attention, due in part to a growing awareness of worldwide interdependence. One of the most intriguing areas of research is the comparison of perceptions about the quality of life. However, even the first attempt to compare cross-national quality of life perceptions (Cantril, 1965) raised a question which still remains unanswered: What do the differences between countries mean? Presumably differences in income, in the objective conditions of the major life domains such as housing, health and employment, and in demographic variables account for some of the difference among countries' reported quality of life satisfaction. But how can these factors be separated from other non-random factors? The term we use for the latter is “cultural bias”. By cultural bias we mean the systematic cross-national differences in quality of life perceptions which are not explained by objective measures of quality of life nor by demographic factors. Ordinarily these culture-specific biases are acquired during the socialization process almost as automatically and unconsciously as one learns one's mother tongue. Cultural bias is manifested in the tendency for members of a particular culture to be optimistic or pessimistic, confident or cautious in evaluating their social and physical environment and in revealing these evaluations to others. Thus, our conception of cultural bias has something in common with the idea of national character, but it is more limited in scope. In this paper we discuss the problem of isolating the impact of cultural bias from the other factors affecting how people perceive their quality of life and measuring it. We describe a method which is capable of doing this and report the results of using it to measure the relative cultural bias between respondents in Springfield, Illinois and Aixen-Provence, France.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article identified the dimensional structure of values, their relationship to perceived QOL, and examined cultural differences in value systems, and concluded that there were no clear cultural differences between different ethnic groups in values.
Abstract: This research sought to identify the dimensional structure of values, their relationship to perceived QOL, and to examine cultural differences in value systems. A sample of 200 respondents was asked to provide direct, indirect, and importance ratings of a range of values. It was found that these could be adequately represented by seven dimensions, and that comparable dimensions were obtained from all three sets of value measures. This finding was replicated by alternative analyses, and also replicates previous research, providing strong evidence for the generality of the structure. Some inconsistent differences in values were found between the three ethnic groups (European, Maori, and Polynesian) that comprised the sample, but it was concluded that there were no clear cultural differences in values. No cultural differences were found in QOL measures also. Some possible explanations of these results are discussed. Value dimensions for direct and indirect value measures were found to be useful predictors of QOL, with close, personal dimensions generally being the best predictors. Value importance dimensions were not found to be useful QOL predictors, and it is proposed that future research should focus on aspiration measures.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper investigated the relationship between objective and subjective indicators of economic well-being within different age, race, and sex groups over time and found that the relationship would be weakest among the oldest age group compared to other age groups.
Abstract: The study investigated the relationship between objective and subjective indicators of economic well-being within different age, race, and sex groups over time. Stratification theory and an accommodation hypothesis were used to predict differential subjective responses to objective conditions within subgroups. Findings supported the hypothesis that the relationship would be weakest among the oldest age group compared to other age groups. Support was found for the hypothesis that predicted smaller coefficients among subgroups characterized as older, female, and nonwhite. Relationships were found to remain stable within all subgroups over time.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The present study employs calculated gaps to test the MDT model in the domain of health satisfaction and the results appear to contradict Multiple Discrepancies Theory in its present format, although it is possible that this is a result of the use of calculated rather than perceived gaps.
Abstract: The present study employs calculated gaps to test the MDT model in the domain of health satisfaction. The results appear to contradict Multiple Discrepancies Theory in its present format, although it is possible that this is a result of the use of calculated rather than perceived gaps. The present findings specifically highlight the important influence of perceived current health status on health satisfaction ratings. It is argued that the basic principle of MDT (that perceived discrepancies between one's own current state of affairs and various relevant comparison levels, have an important influence in determining satisfaction) is not in doubt, but that the precise nature and point of influence of these perceived discrepancies in the formulation of satisfaction ratings may not be accurately portrayed by the current MDT model.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, three requirements for developing social statistics and indicators on the status of women must be satisfied: existing measures of prevalent demographic, socioeconomic, and socio-cultural conditions must be more fully utilized, and some improvements in these measures, together with new measures and data sets are needed.
Abstract: In developing social statistics and indicators on the status of women, three requirements must be satisfied. First, existing measures of prevalent demographic, socio-economic, and socio-cultural conditions must be more fully utilized. Second, some improvements in these measures, together with certain new measures and data sets are needed. Finally, agreed standards of comparison for gauging the relative status of women must be established.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors found that difficulties in the objective condition of economic downturn has had less impact on the general social well-being of the public than previously reported, due to the important role that family and friends play for young people and health and non-working activities play for the adjustment of older people.
Abstract: Drawing from surveys done over a eight year period, we find some important effects on well-being coming from economic boom and bust in a Western Canadian city. This effect is buffered, however, by the important role that family and friends play for young people and health and non-working activities play for the adjustment of older people. Because of these factors, difficulties in the objective condition of economic downturn has had less impact on the general social well-being of the public than previously reported.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a dynamic, macro social indicator model of the postwar United States was used to evaluate the relationship between the unemployment rate and the homicide rate and found that the level of unemployment is negatively related to the homicide rates while annual changes in unemployment are positively related to a homicide rate.
Abstract: The heretofore perplexing relationship between the unemployment and homicide rates is reevaluated through a dynamic, macro social indicator model of the postwar United States. Whereas prior research has failed to demonstrate consistently an empirical connection between economic conditions and crime rates, it is shown here that when attention is given to both the level of unemployment and recent changes in unemployment, the relationship between the unemployment rate and the homicide rate becomes more intelligible. The level of unemployment is negatively related to the homicide rate while annual changes in unemployment are positively related to the homicide rate. These paradoxical effects of unemployment remain even after controlling for other theoretically-relevant variables. Interpretation of the results revolves around the dichotomy of motivation and opportunity as components of human behavior.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a survey among 663 Flemish army recruits covering their attitudes to more traditional work motives and facets of the new work ethic, indicated that a "split" of the orientations to work according to educational level could be discerned.
Abstract: The present study challenges the view that a new work ethic is widespread among the new generations of young people A survey among 663 Flemish army recruits covering their attitudes to more traditional work motives and facets of the new work ethic, indicated that a “split” of the orientations to work according to educational level could be discerned These results were interpreted as a social-psychological correlate of unemployment and discussed in the light of the ongoing social transformations of the so-called Third Industrial Revolution

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors highlight the need for adopting a basic needs approach to rural development in Nigeria and suggest that the basic needs should be identified for each community in recognition of the fact that the priority of needs differs according to the people's socio-cultural conditions.
Abstract: Rural poverty which persists in Nigeria despite the prosperity created by the country's oil wealth is evident in the difficulty experienced by many in satisfying their basic needs for food, water and shelter. The lack of these basic needs has held up rural development in Nigeria. This paper highlights the need for adopting a basic needs approach to rural development. It suggests that the basic needs should be identified for each community in recognition of the fact that the priority of needs differs according to the people's socio-cultural conditions. It is observed that if the priority of needs is not sorted out with the people, the government may be involved in spending money on rural development projects that least satisfy the people's needs. The phases of determining the basic needs with the people are examined. The paper concludes that at every stage of development people do know what their needs are and they can be relied upon to determine their own priorities of development and then work for them.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used the MUNSH to discriminate between clinical and community samples throughout the adult life span and found that most of the explained variance was attributed to the depression scale of the PBS.
Abstract: Recent questions about the validity and reliability of general measures of psychological well-being over the adult life span led us to address three basic questions in the current investigation. Firstly, does the Memorial University of Newfoundland Scale of Happiness (MUNSH) retain its psychometric properties for groups significantly younger than its standardization sample? Secondly, can the MUNSH be used to discriminate between clinical and community samples throughout the adult life span? Finally, what aspects of pathology are being accessed by such scales as the MUNSH? Forty community and 117 recent admissions to a psychiatric hospital served as subjects. Both groups were administered by the MUNSH; in addition, scores on Jackson's Basic Personality Inventory (BPS) were obtained for the clinical group. Results showed the MUNSH to be an instrument of high reliability that could effectively discriminate between community and clinical populations for both younger and older age groups. Virtually all of the explained MUNSH variance was attributed to the Depression scale of the PBS, a finding consistent with the hypothesis that measures of well-being are primarily sensitive to levels of depression.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors examined the relationship between negative life change self-reports and indices of health status and life satisfaction and found that self-reported negative life changes were related to overall life satisfaction, controlling for health status, feelings of alienation/attachment and personal disruption.
Abstract: Recent research has suggested that life changes may be unrelated to health status indices and to overall satisfaction with life. Yet research has also reported that life changes appear to be related to measures of psychological distress. To attend further to clarification of the role of life change as a predictor of health status and life satisfaction, this paper examines the relationship between negative life change self-reports and indices of health status and life satisfaction. The data come from a survey of 1423 Northwestern Wisconsinites interviewed in 1974 by the Wisconsin Survey Research Laboratory. The findings indicate that self-reports of negative life changes were related to overall life satisfaction, controlling for health status, feelings of alienation/attachment, and personal disruption. Implications of the findings are discussed in conclusion.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report on a research project undertaken in a planned community of La Villeneuve, France, which examines (a) the social context in which various activities took place, and (b) the duration and frequency of the activities.
Abstract: One way in which a better understanding of social indicators to be employed in assessing the degree of social integration of aged ethnic minorities is to determine their time-use patterns for various daily activities. This paper reports on a research project undertaken in a planned community of La Villeneuve, France, which examines (a) the social context in which various activities took place, and (b) the duration and frequency of the activities. This was achieved through the combined techniques of time-budget analysis, social network mapping, and participant observations. Our data provides another dimension appropriate for social indicators research.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors proposed and tested a structural model of subjective well-being using LISREL V using secondary data analysis, and concluded that analyses done separately be ethnicity yielded more accurate representations of structural models of subjective Well-being, and provide evidence that ethnic groups are reference groups in which determinants operate differentially.
Abstract: Using secondary data analysis, we proposed and tested a structural model of subjective well-being using LISREL V. Separate analyses were performed on samples of Asians (N=142), Blacks (N=338), Hispanics (N=188), and Whites (N=293). Exogenous predictor variables were age, serious personal loss, occupational status, and employment status. Endogenous predictors were self-perceived health, physical activity, and strength of social ties. Results indicated that within group models were somewhat different from each other. We concluded that analyses done separately be ethnicity yielded more accurate representations of structural models of subjective well-being, and provide evidence that ethnic groups are reference groups in which determinants of subjective well-being operate differentially.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the application of the two-stage principal component method to analyse Australian aggretate/regional/ data is described, where statistical indicators of social standing, economic structure and demographic features are analysed separately in order to obtain composite measures of various complex characteristics of the regions in each of these domains.
Abstract: This paper describes the application of the two-stage principal component method to analyse Australian aggretate/regional/ data. Statistical indicators of social standing, economic structure and demographic features are analysed separately in order to obtain composite measures of various complex characteristics of the regions in each of these domains. The method does not assume statistical independency of principal components, so the relations between them are examined. The index of regional socio-economic status as well as its relations to other characteristics are of the main interest.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used Partial Order Structuple (Scalogram) analysis to characterize American cities by their crime rates, using data analysis employing the technique of partial order Structuple Analysis.
Abstract: A frequent variety of typological system is that which results when a given population is classified simultaneously by several social indicators. When the categories of each indicator are ordered, and in a sense common to all the indicators, a partial order is automatically defined for the system. The empirical problem is to ascertain the dimensionality and the substantive meaning of the partly ordered system. This will be illustrated here by the case of the characterization of American cities by their crime rates, the data analysis employing the technique of Partial Order Structuple (Scalogram) Analysis.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reviewed the social conditions of suicides in Poland in 1951-82, based on the complete statistical data pertaining to suicidal deaths registered with the Central Statistical Office of Poland (CSO).
Abstract: This paper reviews the social conditions of suicides in Poland in 1951–82, based on the complete statistical data pertaining to suicidal deaths registered with the Central Statistical Office of Poland (grouped and recalculated by the author for the purposes of her analysis). Poland has one of the lowest suicide rates for women: the ratio of men to women who take their own lives is 5 to 1. The rates of suicides are higher in the rural than in the urban milieu (that tendency has been observed since the 1970s). But suicides in the rural areas are in general committed not by farmers, but by argricultural labourers, lumbermen, people employed in earth works, geodetic work, communication and transport. Those and other groups of workers are particularly liable to suicide resulting from sudden loneliness (due to becoming a widower or to divorce). During the last thirty years the number of suicides in Poland increased by over 200 percent. As in other countries suicides in Poland decrease in periods of a strong social integration, and increase during social crises.