Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Wellman found half of intimates were relatives, with kin and nonkin spread over
a wide area. Most ties were to people living in the city, but very few were based
in East York. “Communal” links were neither solidaristic nor localized.
People had “sparsely knit” (low density) networks lacking in cross-linkages, so
support and help in everyday matters and in emergencies was limited. “East
Yorkers can almost always count on help from at least one of their intimates, but
they cannot count on such help from most of them” (Wellman 1979:1217).
Name Generators
Instruments that measure ego-centric networks in community or national
surveys must use an open-ended “name generator” rather than an
enumerated checklist. The 1985, 1987 & 2004 GSS quex: “From time to
time, most people discuss important matters with other people. Looking
back over the last six months, who are the people with whom you
discussed matters important to you. Just tell me their names or initials.”
For each pair of alters: “Are (Name) and
(Name) total strangers? Especially close?”
After asking about every alter’s gender,
race, age, occupation, etc.: “Here is a list
of some of the ways in which people are
connected to each other. Some people can
be connected to you in more than one way.
For example, a man could be your brother
and he may belong to your church and be Spouse, parent, sibling, child,
your lawyer. When I read you a name, other family, coworker, member
please tell me all the ways that person is of group to which you belong,
connected to you.” →→►► neighbor, friend, professional
advisor or consultant, other
Just the Facts, Ma’m
The 1985 GSS module uncovered many factoids about the social
composition of adult Americans’ egocentric discussion networks
Median size = 3 alters; 25% have 0-1 alters, 25% have 5-6
Half of alters are ego’s kin; only 20% have no kin in their networks
Alters know one another: mean density = 0.61; only 5% all strangers
High race/ethnic homogeneity; only 8% have any alter diversity
Substantial sex diversity: 78% have at least one alter of opposite sex
(most often a spouse, sibling, or parent)
“The GSS survey network data describe relatively small, kin-centered, dense,
homogeneous social environments surrounding Americans. … To the extent
that success of ‘networking’ as an instrumentally oriented pursuit depends on
access to diverse others, those best situated to make use of it are the young
and middle-aged, the well-educated, and those living in larger places”
(Marsden 1987:130).
The 2004 GSS survey found significantly smaller ego-nets & more isolates.
Networking, Chinese Style
Guanxi: “personal relations or connections. … One’s guanxi
network is seen as an appropriate response to the uncertainties
posed by China’s cumbersome bureaucracy” (Yi & Ellis 2000)
Guanxi is based on strong ties of blood
relations & social group identities. Outsiders
gain entry only when a mutual friend vouches.
Key drivers: saving “face” and accumulating
favors owed (renqing) – “a never-in-balance
personal ledger of debits and credits rather
than prompt repayment of outstanding debts.”
Knoke, David. 1990. Political Networks. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Marsden, Peter V. 1987. “Core Discussion Networks of Americans.” American Sociological Review
52:122-131.
Moody, James, Daniel McFarland, Skye Bender-de Moll. 2004. “Dynamic Network Visualization: Methods
for Meaning with Longitudinal Network Movies.” (Downloaded October 2, 2004)
<www.sociology.ohio-state.edu/jwm/NetMovies/Sub_CD/dynamic_nets_public.html>
Nadel, S. F. 1957. The Theory of Social Structure. London: Cohen & West.
Wellman, Barry. 1979. “The Community Question: The Intimate Networks of East Yorkers.” American
Journal of Sociology 84:1201-1231.
White, Douglas R., Vladimir Batagelj and Andrej Mrvar 1999. “Anthropology: Analyzing Large Kinship
and Marriage Networks with Pgraph and Pajek.” Social Science Computer Review 17(3):245-274.
White, Harrison C. 1963. An Anatomy of Kinship: Mathematical Models for Structures of Cumulated
Roles. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Yi, Lee Mei and Paul Ellis. 2000. “Insider-Outsider Perspectives of Guanxi.” Business Horizons 43:25-30.