Essays
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Close Friendships among Contemporary People - Brashears, Matthew E.
Do contemporary people have fewer friends than they used to? In this entry, we examine the research on strong tie networks, or networks containing people especially important to us, in order to provide a partial answer. We begin with a review of the methods employed to collect data on social network connections. We then summarize the literature on the size of Americans' social networks as well as change in this size over time. Finally, we conclude with an analysis of where the study of strong networks needs to go and some suggestions for getting it there. Overall, the research suggests that while strong networks have changed over the past 30–40 years, and may be smaller overall, people are no more isolated than they were in the past. -
Social Neuroendocrine Approaches to Relationships - van Anders, Sari M.
Social neuroendocrinology is the study of social behaviors and hormones, using ultimate (evolutionary) and proximate (mechanistic) considerations, alongside social context. In this entry, two scholars from psychology and anthropology focus on social relationships (e.g., parenting, romantic relationships, sexual contacts) and both peptide (e.g., oxytocin, vasopressin) and steroid hormones (e.g., testosterone, estradiol, cortisol). Basic theoretical underpinnings of social neuroendocrinology are discussed, along with classic and cutting edge scholarship alongside newer theories. The challenges and promises of social neuroendocrine approaches to relationships are detailed, with an eye to the future of the discipline. -
The Others as Social Context: On the Importance of Strategic Interaction - Diekmann, Andreas
An action is defined as “strategic” when the consequences of ego's action depend on the action of alter. Situations of strategic interaction are numerous in daily life, business, and politics. Other peoples' opportunities of actions form ego's strategic context. The dynamics of the impact of the strategic context on ego's action can be modeled by means of game theory. We discuss three examples of strategic interaction models: “Diffusion of responsibility,” Boudon's “logic of relative frustration,” and the problem of social exchange and trust. We demonstrate the effects of the strategic context on the opportunities and beliefs of actors. In contrast to nonstrategic rational choice theory, beliefs and opportunities are not assumed as exogenous. The analysis of the strategic context contributes to a better understanding of the microlevel effects and the macrolevel implications. However, the strict rationality requirements of game models are often violated. In these situations, evolutionary models based on principles of learning and adaptions are more adequate than models based on assumptions of strict rationality.