Date of Graduation
8-2016
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Sociology (MA)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
Sociology and Criminal Justice
Advisor/Mentor
Song Yang
Committee Member
Anna Zajicek
Second Committee Member
Patricia Herzog
Keywords
Social sciences, Core networks, Feel close to networks, Social isolation
Abstract
Evidences from interpersonal networks in which Americans discuss “important matters” (core discussion networks) suggest that Americans have become increasingly isolated. Using the national representative Science of Generosity Survey 2010, this paper revisits the issue of Social isolation. The survey asked respondents to name the people they felt close to in the last six months. On average, respondents mentioned 3.87 people they felt close to, a significant increase from the 1985 (2.94) and 2004 (2.08) core discussion networks. Education, income, and gender are significant explanatory variables for the “feel close to” networks. People with high education, those with high income, and women tend to have larger “feel close to” networks than those with low education, those with low income, and men. Despite the difference in name generators between “feel close to” networks and “core discussion” networks, this research casts serious doubts on the assertion that Americans experience increasing Social isolation.
Citation
Liu, C. (2016). Revisiting Social Isolation in America: An Egocentric Analysis of "Feel Close to" Networks. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/1725