Showing papers on "Social network published in 1984"
TL;DR: Negative social outcomes were more consistently and more strongly related to well-being than were positive social outcomes and the results demonstrate the importance of assessing the specific content of social relations.
Abstract: Social exchange theory has long emphasized that social interaction entails both rewards and costs. Research on the effects of social relations on psychological well-being, however, has generally ignored the negative side of social interaction. This study examined the relative impact of positive and negative social outcomes on older women's well-being. The sample consisted of 120 widowed women between the ages of 60 and 89. Multiple regression analyses revealed that negative social outcomes were more consistently and more strongly related to well-being than were positive social outcomes. This effect of negative social involvement did not appear to be due to major differences among women with high versus moderate or low levels of problematic social ties. Analyses of variance indicated that these three groups of women differed neither in important background characteristics nor in indices of social competence. The results demonstrate the importance of assessing the specific content of social relations. Implications for the design of social network interventions are discussed.
1,557 citations
TL;DR: Brass et al. as mentioned in this paper examined the relationships between structural positions and influence at the individual level of analysis and found that the relative positions of employees within workflow, communication, and friendship networks were strongly related to perceptions of influence by both supervisors and nonsupervisors and to promotions to the supervisory level.
Abstract: Daniel J. Brass This research examined the relationships between structural positions and influence at the individual level of analysis. The structure of the organization was conceptualized from a social network perspective. Measures of the relative positions of employees within workflow, communication, and friendship networks were strongly related to perceptions of influence by both supervisors and nonsupervisors and to promotions to the supervisory level. Measures included criticality, transaction alternatives, and centrality (access and control) in the networks and in such reference groups as the dominant coalition. A comparison of boundary-spanning and technical-core personnel indicated that contacts beyond the normal work requirements are particularly important for technical core personnel to acquire influence. Overall, the results provide support for a structural perspective on intraorganizational influence.
1,501 citations
TL;DR: The Social Relations Model as discussed by the authors represents one method of studying two-person relationships and attempts to separate the effects of persons and dyads, and it is useful because it looks at social behavior as simultaneously operating at multiple levels.
Abstract: Publisher Summary The Social Relations Model represents one method of studying two-person relationships. It attempts to separate the effects of persons and dyad. The Social Relations Model has three potential contributions to the study of dyads. First, it provides a purely methodological-statistical solution to the analysis of dyadic data. The Social Relations Model represents a new approach to the analysis of dyadic data structures. Second, the model can provide social psychology with better procedures to resolve the theoretical issues of the discipline. Third, the model is useful because it looks at social behavior as simultaneously operating at multiple levels. Very different principles operate at these different levels and only by simultaneously examining social behavior at different levels, the complexity and simplicity of social life can be fully appreciated.
554 citations
TL;DR: Analysis of data from the National Survey of Personal Health Practices and Consequences indicated that age, income, education, and life events affected health directly, while the effects of church attendance and marriage were likely mediated through smoking and alcohol behaviors.
Abstract: The relationships among social structure, stress, social support, life-style health behavior, and health status are explored in this multivariate analysis of data from the National Survey of Personal Health Practices and Consequences. Path analyses showed social structural factors to influence life-style practices both directly and indirectly through social network and negative life events. For women, social network and life events had direct relationships to health related life-style practices, while age and income acted both directly and indirectly through social network and, for income, through life events. Education was also directly related to life-style. For men, social network and education had the only direct effects on health practices, and age and income had indirect effects through network. We then examined the relative contributions of the social network index elements, life events, and demographic variables to each of the life-style practices. These analyses confirmed the importance of gender, education, age, and income to predicting life-style behaviors. Negative life events were associated with smoking for both men and women, sleep for women only, and physical activity and alcohol use for men, which suggests sex-specific norms for coping with stress. For both sexes, church attendance and marriage were associated with favorable smoking and alcoholic use, implicating cognitive social support or social control as a mediator of health promotion. Finally, analyses for each gender using health status as the outcome variable indicated that age, income, education, and life events affected health directly, while the effects of church attendance and marriage were likely mediated through smoking and alcohol behaviors.
182 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a critical review of the broad research literature on social support is presented, including hypotheses for future research and a review of some central dilemmas of supportive relationships.
Abstract: This essay is a critical review of the broad research literature on social support. The nature of support is explicated and findings from studies of diverse populations are considered for understanding the role of communication in the support process. Uncertainty reduction theory is discussed as an emergent theoretical foundation for explaining the sources/providers, function, and network structure of supportive communication. The paper includes hypotheses for future research and a review of some central dilemmas of supportive relationships.
170 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a recently burgeoning body of research suggests that social ties increase people's immunity to physical illnesses and form a conceptual foundation for an emerging social support system theory that includes social network structure, social support content, and behaviors and social conditions involved in mobilizing support.
Abstract: A recently burgeoning body of research suggests that social ties increase people's immunity to physical illnesses. Study findings form a conceptual foundation for an emerging social support system theory that includes social network structure, social support content, and behaviors and social conditions involved in mobilizing support. As a result, knowledge about person-environment fit and health status is advanced. Social work has a special opportunity to refine further social support system theory and intervention.
119 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a social support model for predicting the ease of transition into the motherhood role is presented, where four kinds of social network supports (relational, ideological, physical, and informational) and six social network agents (husband, friends, relatives, work associates, neighbors, and institutions) are considered.
Abstract: A social support model for predicting the ease of transition into the motherhood role is presented. Four kinds of social network supports (relational, ideological, physical, and informational) and six social network agents (husband, friends, relatives, work associates, neighbors, and institutions) are considered. Ways in which each kind of support facilitates maternal and marital adaptation are discussed, along with implications of such support for influencing the nature of mother—child interactions. In addition, a case example (career women in transition) is presented to illustrate the predictive utility of the model. Policy and research implications of the present analysis follow.
94 citations
75 citations
Book•
01 Jan 1984
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a collection of data and analysis to the current state of work in social problems sociology, drawn together based on the social definitional or social constructionist view that social problems are not conditions but rather the definitional activities of people making claims and responses to such conditions.
Abstract: This collection contributes data and analysis to the current sate of work in social problems sociology. The chapters are drawn together based on the social definitional or social constructionist view that social problems are not conditions but rather the definitional activities of people making claims and responses to such conditions. The emphasis is on social problems sociology as the distinct subfield of the discipline that addresses this kind of social conduct. The chapters seek to expand upon and elaborate various elements of this general theme.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors focus on community structure as a network of interorganizational linkages, with an eye toward generating new conceptual schemes to study the community as a social network and developing a methodology to measure new dimensions of community structure.
Abstract: This study focuses on community structure as a network of interorganizational linkages, with an eye toward (1) generating new conceptual schemes to study the community as a social network and (2) developing a methodology to measure new dimensions of community structure. An analysis of structurally equivalent roles is performed in two communities for three organizational resource networks: money, information, and moral support. Global dependencies on resource generator, consumer, and transmitter roles for the money network are analyzed using loglinear models. Local dependencies within the money network are also examined. Finally, the study examines the perceived influence of organizations in community affairs as a function of the organizations' global positions within the community network.
TL;DR: Social structural analysis is an approach to studying social structure that emphasizes the relatedness of units or actors, and gives well defined meaning to structural concepts through the methods and techniques of social network analysis as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Social structural analysis is an approach to studying social structure that emphasizes the relatedness of units or actors, and gives well‐defined meaning to structural concepts through the methods and techniques of social network analysis. Three broad strategies for representation of social structures have been developed: topo‐logical, graph‐theoretic, and spatial models. Each of these makes use of mathematical ideas to give explicit meaning to sociological ones. These strategies are briefly reviewed here; we then turn to a discussion of accomplishments of structural analysis to date, consideration of theoretical, data/empirical, and institutional impediments to sustained progress, and assessment of prospects.
TL;DR: In this paper, a study of social ties and social support of elderly women at two low-income city nutrition sites was conducted, and the best predictors of life satisfaction were network size, frequency of church attendance, and proportion of network members considered intimates.
Abstract: Forty-three elderly women at two low-income city nutrition sites participated in a study of social ties and social support. As predicted, discrete facets of support were differentiated from among a variety of social network and support variables. Age was negatively related to network size, amount of emotional support, and time spent with confidantes and relatives. With age controlled, the best predictors of life satisfaction were network size, frequency of church attendance, and proportion of network members considered intimates. Results are discussed with regard to the multidimensionality of the social support construct.
TL;DR: Analysis of the network characteristics and nature of social ties among physically disabled people living in an inner London borough showed network size rather than network type was related to the availability of psychosocial support, reflecting the important role of both related and non-related people in the provision of this form of support.
TL;DR: This article explored the social network relationships of divorced persons prior to divorce and up to one year following divorce, and delineated the network changes which take place and the ways in which these changes affect adjustment to divorce.
Abstract: The objectives of this pilot study were to explore the social network relationships of divorced persons prior to divorce and up to one year following divorce, and to delineate the network changes which take place and the ways in which these changes affect adjustment to divorce. Subjects were administered the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale and the General Well-Being Schedule and completed a social network questionnaire. In general the findings suggested that changes in the social networks of individuals from pre to post divorce tend to decrease the quaLily of the person's adjustment to this life crisis. Suggestions were provided for future research in this area and for clinical interventions designed to deal with divorced persons.
Book•
15 Oct 1984
TL;DR: Serving the People: Social Services and Social Change argues persuasively that the two endeavors can-and should-be combined for the benefit of both as discussed by the authors, which is a useful classroom tool for social work, social policy, and sociology courses.
Abstract: While social service work and political activism have often been viewed as separate and opposing forces, Serving the People: Social Services and Social Change argues persuasively that the two endeavors can-and should-be combined for the benefit of both. Drawing on her extensive experience in service work and social action, Ann Withorn probes the past and present of these fields and reveals: why social services have been viewed as necessarily apolitical...what problems are posed by professionalism and bureaucratic practice...why progressive have not actively fought for social welfare changes...what choices and issues exist in politicizing social practice...and much more. Finally, here is one book that combines historical research and practical, workable ideas for social workers, social planners, and activists to use. Serving the People surpasses current social work and left literature by providing: * Extensive historical background of the social service/social action dichotomy.* Examination of the history of service work in labor, feminist, black, and left movements in the United States from the late nineteenth century to the present.* Political analysis that most professional literature avoids.* Examples from scores of interviews from practitioners at all levels.* Concrete, practical suggestions that go beyond left theories to show how to apply political analysis to daily work. * Summary of the latest European ideas and trends that make the book a useful classroom tool for social work, social policy, and sociology courses. For social service practitioners and students, or anyone concerned with achieving social change in contemporary society, Serving the People is a timely, invaluable book.
TL;DR: A framework of network levels and sets for ordering data and observations is proposed; the phenomenon of truncated networks is considered and two emphases in network intervention are proposed to conceptualize network characteristics and practice that follows from such characteristics.
Abstract: This paper is concerned with the development and application of social network concepts in clinical practice. A framework of network levels and sets for ordering data and observations is proposed; the phenomenon of truncated networks is considered and two emphases in network intervention (gathering and connecting forms) are proposed to conceptualize network characteristics and practice that follows from such characteristics. A number of current examples of network practice are placed within the framework, and several advantages of utilizing a network perspective as a complement to existing models of family therapy are noted.
TL;DR: The hypothesis that many social support and social network scales are developed without complete utilization of existing measurement technology is confirmed and limited availability of basic psychometric data for such scales attenuates theory development and research efficiency.
Abstract: Social support and social network scales were reviewed from a psychometric perspective. A sample of 29 behavioral science studies were selected from social support and social network articles published between 1967 and 1982. Each study was classified according to psychometric issues of scaling, reliability, and validity. The review was motivated by the hypothesis that many social support and social network scales are developed without complete utilization of existing measurement technology. Results of this review confirm this hypothesis. Limited availability of basic psychometric data for such scales attenuates theory development and research efficiency. Researchers in this field are encouraged to increase the availability of basic psychometric information for social support and social network scales.
TL;DR: In this article, the effects on social group work practice of the current contexts of such practice are discussed, including the larger society, particularly its political and economic subsystems: social norms and institutions: the profession of social work: and the agencies and organizations in which social group-work is practiced.
Abstract: This paper discusses the effects on social group work practice of the current contexts of such practice These contexts include the larger society, particularly its political and economic subsystems: social norms and institutions: the profession of social work: and the agencies and organizations in which social group work is practiced The approach of the paper is to contrast these contexts as they existed two dccades before the 1960s with the two decade following Some of the contrasts noted are the trends toward a psychological as opposed to social emphasis, a narcissistic rather than altruistic thrust, and a withdrawal from community interactions
TL;DR: In this article, the authors contrast alternative, yet related, theories of historical development: historical materialism, Parsonian modernization theory, Habermasian social evolution, etc.
Abstract: The aim of this essay is to contrast alternative, yet related, theories of historical development: historical materialism, Parsonian modernization theory, Habermasian social evolution. These theore...
01 Jan 1984
TL;DR: Intermittent attempts have been made over several decades to explore the benefits of integrative analyses of social roles and social networks (e.g., Bott, 1957, Merton, 1968, Mitchell, 1969, Moreno, 1934).
Abstract: Intermittent attempts have been made over several decades to explore the benefits of integrative analyses of social roles and social networks (e.g., Bott, 1957; Merton, 1968; Mitchell, 1969; Moreno, 1934). The recent upsurge of concern with social support, stressful life change, and life span development suggests that the time may be ripe for another attempt.
01 Jan 1984
TL;DR: In this paper, one can invisibly watch a washday in a typical middle-class American home and a pre-technological Indian society in the Amazon basin in the same year.
Abstract: Imagine that one could invisibly watch a washday in a typical middle-class American home and watch a washday in a pretechnological Indian society in the Amazon basin.