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Social networks, support cliques, and kinship
1Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, P. O. Box 147, L69 3BX, Liverpool, England.
Human Nature (Hawthorne, N.Y.)
|November 9, 2013
Summary
Human social networks average around 20-30 contacts, similar to the "sympathy group" size. While total network size is similar for men and women, women include more kin and females, with family size impacting network composition.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Anthropology
- Sociology
Background:
- Human social networks are crucial for support and information exchange.
- Understanding the structure and composition of these networks provides insights into social behavior.
- Previous research suggests a limited capacity for maintaining social relationships, often referred to as the 'sympathy group'.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the size of human social networks in British populations.
- To investigate sex differences in network composition, particularly regarding kin and gender.
- To explore the relationship between family size and network structure, and identify factors constraining network size.
Main Methods:
- Data collection on the number of adults contacted monthly by individuals in British populations.
- Analysis of network size and composition, including the proportion of kin and sex of network members.
- Examination of the relationship between family size and the number of kin and non-kin in social networks.
Main Results:
- Estimated network sizes align with the typical human 'sympathy group' size.
- Men and women have similar total network sizes, but women's networks contain more females and kin.
- Network kin proportion increases with family size, suggesting time or cognitive constraints on overall network size.
- A core support clique exists within networks, with individuals showing a preference for same-sex network members.
Conclusions:
- Human social networks are structured around a limited capacity, with significant influence from kinship and family size.
- Sex-based differences in network composition highlight distinct social strategies.
- The findings support the existence of constraints on social network size, influencing the balance between kin and non-kin relationships.
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