Beyond interviewer effects in the standardized measurement of ego-centric networks

The effects which interviewers exert on the collection of ego-centric networks have recently come into the focus of methodological considerations. Studies consistently show that the size of networks varies depending on the interviewer. We would like to expand on this research strand by pointing to different aspects which have so far gone unremarked in the discussion. First, size is mainly analysed as a network measure which is influenced during data collection, while other common measures such as network density or composition have not received sufficient consideration. Second, large-scale surveys using face-to-face interviews usually allocate interviewers to a single sampling point. Differences between sampling points (locality effects) are attributed to interviewer effects. Hence, we disentangle the effects of the locality and interviewer. Third, the discussion on interviewer effects often follows an “actor-oriented” consideration of how data collection situations are structured by interviewers. Expanding this approach from a relational perspective, we consider the relationship between the interviewers and respondents and whether this relationship influences the collection of network data. To test our hypotheses about the influence of interviewers, the locality and the interviewer-respondent relationship on different network measures, we use data from the 2010 German General Social Survey (n = 2827 respondents, n = 220 interviewers). The multilevel analyses show that the relationship between the interviewer and the respondent is not very relevant. Furthermore, the analyses show that interviewers have an influence on the network size but not on measures of their composition. However, evidence on the prevalence of locality or interviewer effects is mixed. Finally, homophilous interviewer-respondent relationships have very little effect on network characteristics. We find evidence of training and fatigue effects on network size. However, much of the variation in network size caused by the interviewer still remains unexplained. We draw conclusions on how to organize interview situations in surveys.     

Muslim–Christian Relations in Kupang: Negotiating Space and Maintaining Peace

Kupang, the capital city of Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT/East Nusa Tenggara) province, is a majority Christian community in predominantly Muslim Indonesia. Despite widespread inter-religious violence in Indonesia, especially around the fall of the Suharto regime in 1998, Muslim–Christian relations in Kupang have, to date, been relatively harmonious. Minor incidents occurred in 1998 and tensions were exacerbated by the construction of a new mosque at Batuplat village in 2011, but these did not lead to larger conflicts. Drawing on observations in three urban neighbourhoods (Kampung Solor, Airmata and Oesapa), this article discusses the experiences of Muslims in these urban neighbourhoods in negotiating space for their religious practices and maintaining peace with their Christian neighbours. This ethnographic study allows us to understand factors underpinning inter-religious harmony in Kupang.     

Residential mobility and the spatial dispersion of personal networks: Effects on social support

Using a representative national sample of personal networks, this article explores how the spatial dispersion of networks, residential mobility and social support are linked. Three issues will be addressed here. Firstly, how is the spatial dispersion of personal networks related to individuals’ social characteristics, network composition and residential mobility? Secondly, how do the spatial dispersion of networks, residential mobility and their combined effect influence the number and (thirdly) the structure of emotional support ties? Results showed that the extent of the support was affected neither by the geographical distribution of the networks nor by residential mobility. Living far from one's birthplace, however, exerted two distinct, and opposite effects on the support network structure. On the one hand, mobility led to high spatial dispersion of personal contacts, which in turn favored a sparsely knit network centered around the mobile individual. On the other hand, by controlling for the effect of distance between the contacts, we found that individuals that cited long-distance ties tended to be part of more transitive support networks than those that cited local ties. We interpreted the latter effect as evidence that transitive ties may survive greater spatial distances than intransitive ones. These findings are discussed in view of spatial mobility and social network research.     

Random errors in egocentric networks

The systematic errors that are induced by a combination of human memory limitations and common survey design and implementation have long been studied in the context of egocentric networks. Despite this, little if any work exists in the area of random error analysis on these same networks; this paper offers a perspective on the effects of random errors on egonet analysis, as well as the effects of using egonet measures as independent predictors in linear models. We explore the effects of false-positive and false-negative error in egocentric networks on both standard network measures and on linear models through simulation analysis on a ground truth egocentric network sample based on facebook-friendships. Results show that 5–20% error rates, which are consistent with error rates known to occur in ego network data, can cause serious misestimation of network properties and regression parameters.     

Producing public goods in networks: Some effects of social comparison and endogenous network change

As actors participate in the production of public goods, processes of social comparison may affect the decisions about the individual contributions as well as the endogenously changing structure of an underlying social network. This leads to the transformation of an ordinary n-player Prisoner's Dilemma of collective action into an n-player coordination game. The paper uses agent-based simulations to trace the formation of public goods while varying network characteristics, such as density, segregation, or the strength of relationships. Additionally, the usage of both a forward- and a backward-looking agent model shows possible implications of different assumptions about the actors’ decision making.     

On Youth＇s Value Structure Roots of the Rise of Social Network Sites

青年价值结构反映了青年在价值观念变迁中现代化维度和后现代化维度中的转变程度。目前社交网站覆盖人数众多,用户以高学历、年轻化、城市分布规律化和交际现实性为主要特点。社交网站发展与青年价值结构变迁具有内在的密切关联。社交网站技术引进国内却丧失了原有的“意义图景”,说明我国青年在价值理性方面的缺失和对工具理性的追逐：接受社交网站说明“熟人社会”结构在青年社交活动中仍然延续．社交网站也能为青年实现个人成就提供可能性：社交网站馈赠型社会化模式有效改进了青年“相对被剥夺感”严重、幸福感低迷的现状,这是社交网站进一步发展壮大的功能基础。     

立体赋权：农村留守儿童社会支持网络的建构

随着城市化进程的加快,农村剩余劳动力大量涌入城市,产生了留守儿童这一新的群体,其社会支持问题El益突出,引起社会各界广泛的关注。厦门“凤凰花助飞体验营”服务项目借助增权视角社会工作理论,在实践中探索出建构留守儿童社会支持网络的路径：增强个体自我效能感,提升建构支持的内在能力;集体中参与,多中心地构建近距离的社会支持;倡导创造建构社会支持网络的良好社会与制度环境。     

社交网站兴起与青年价值结构分析

青年价值结构反映了青年在价值观念变迁中现代化维度和后现代化维度中的转变程度。目前社交网站覆盖人数众多,用户以高学历、年轻化、城市分布规律化和交际现实性为主要特点。社交网站发展与青年价值结构变迁具有内在的密切关联。社交网站技术引进国内却丧失了原有的“意义图景”,说明我国青年在价值理性方面的缺失和对工具理性的追逐：接受社交网站说明“熟人社会”结构在青年社交活动中仍然延续．社交网站也能为青年实现个人成就提供可能性：社交网站馈赠型社会化模式有效改进了青年“相对被剥夺感”严重、幸福感低迷的现状,这是社交网站进一步发展壮大的功能基础。     

网络青年文化的“自我空间”论

后现代的网络社会既给青年人寻找自我、建构身份搭建了广阔的新舞台,也为青年人提供了一个空间自由、文化自主的新天地——青年文化的"自我空间"。在这样一个以"自我"为中心和遵循"快乐至上"原则的空间里,青年人主动将自我符号化,充分运用网络媒介的自主权,通过创建微电影、微小说等微美学文本,把自己的内心世界投射到网络社会并最大限度地释放与表现、宣泄与满足。他们在"自我空间"里呈现自我、形塑自我的同时,也进行着青年亚文化的传播与实践。