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We examine the impact of corporate governance and personal networks on corporate fraud in Japanese companies, using panel logit and Cox proportional hazard models to analyze fraud occurrence and detection. This study focuses on the effects of Japan's recent corporate governance reform and explores the unique influence of personal networks. Our key findings indicate that recent changes in corporate governance in Japan have been effective in preventing the occurrence of fraud and accelerating its detection. Additionally, stronger personal networks among board members help prevent fraud concealment, highlighting cultural differences in the effectiveness of personal networks in corporate governance compared to findings from Europe and the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we present a method to uncover the fundamental dimensions of structural variability in Personal Networks (PNs) and develop a classification solely based on these structural properties. We address the limitations of previous literature and lay the foundation for a rigorous methodology to construct a Structural Typology of PNs. We test our method with a dataset of nearly 8,000 PNs belonging to high school students. We find that the structural variability of these PNs can be described in terms of six basic dimensions encompassing community and cohesive subgroup structure, as well as levels of cohesion, hierarchy, and centralization. Our method allows us to categorize these PNs into eight types and to interpret them structurally. We assess the robustness and generality of our methodology by comparing with previous results on structural typologies. To encourage its adoption, its improvement by others, and to support future research, we provide a publicly available Python class, enabling researchers to utilize our method and test the universality of our results. • We develop a general method to understand and classify Personal Network structures. • We provide a novel framework to interpret the spectrum of structures observed. • Our methodology integrates all previous perspectives from the literature. • We test our method with a large dataset of Personal Networks of high school students. • We create a software enabling researchers to test the generality of our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although negative ties may cause stress and harm well-being, they are also considered fundamental in close and ongoing relationships. This study distinguishes positive, negative, and – when characterized by both valences – ambivalent ties. Analyzing almost 10,000 personal networks from the Swiss CH-X study shows that: (1) ambivalence among family members is more prevalent than among non-family members, (2) ambivalent family dyads or triads are not negatively associated with well-being, and (3) certain balanced family triads are associated with higher well-being and an unbalanced non-family triad is associated with lower well-being. These results suggest that conflicts are not necessarily detrimental to young adults' well-being. • Ambivalence among family members is more prevalent than among non-family members. • Ambivalent family dyads or triads are not associated with lower well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Redes is the property of Redes-Revista Hispana para el Analisis de Redes Sociales and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: The social networks surrounding intimate couples provide them with bonding and bridging social capital and have been theorized to be associated with their well-being and relationship quality. These networks are multidimensional, featuring compositional (e.g., the proportion of family members vs. friends) and structural characteristics (e.g., density, degree of overlap between spouses’ networks). Most previous studies of couple networks are based on partners’ global ratings of their network characteristics or network data collected from one member of the dyad. This study presents the analysis of “duocentric networks" or the combined personal networks of both members of a couple, collected from 207 mixed-sex newlywed couples living in low-income neighborhoods of Harris County, TX. We conducted a pattern-centric analysis of compositional and structural features to identify distinct types of couple networks. We identified five qualitatively distinct network types (wife family-focused, husband family-focused, shared friends, wife friend-focused, and extremely disconnected). Couples’ network types were associated with the quality of the relationships between couples and their network contacts (e.g., emotional support) but not with the quality of the couples’ relationship with each other. We argue that duocentric networks provide appropriate data for measuring bonding and bridging capital in couple networks.

Background: Previous studies show that the personal support networks of people with intellectual disability are smaller and less diverse than those of people without intellectual disability. This article aims to compare the characteristics of the personal networks of young people with and without intellectual disability. Method: The Personal Network Analysis (McCarty, Revista Hispana Para El Análisis de Redes Sociales, 2010, 19, 242–271) was applied. The participants comprised 51 young people aged between 13 and 19, of whom 27 had an intellectual disability. The Egonet programme was used to compile information, and SPSS v.27 for the statistical analysis. Results: Young people with intellectual disabilities have smaller personal networks than people without disability, while they also comprise more people with disability and fewer 'friends' and support people. Conclusions: The full social inclusion of people with intellectual disability requires schools, families, the community and the individual to work together to develop activities that help them initiate and maintain relationships, prioritising mainstream contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grassroots elections of rural village heads and urban community directors are an important public arena for social-political participation of Chinese citizens. Analyzing the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS2017) data through the models of GSEM (general equation structure modeling) and fulfilling the robustness check via IV (instrumental variable) method (including IV-Probit and 2SLS-IV models), this article examines the direct and indirect effects of personal networks on voting participation after 2012 under the leadership of Xi. We find that people with greater amounts of network resources and higher frequencies of social eating with network members have a higher likelihood to participate in elections. As to mediating effects, the two measures of personal networks pave the way for people to participate in formal networks of associational engagement, which in turn increase their participation in elections; however, people with higher values in the two personal network measures tend to have lower levels of institutional trust, which in turn hinders voting participation. In comparison, the positive effects are more powerful than the negative ones, so on the whole, personal networks are acting as an important conducive force for grassroots election participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the repeated police killings of unarmed Black people and their increasing visibility because of recent technological advances, Black people are especially vulnerable to adverse mental health effects. However, little is known about how they attempt to cope with these incidents or how their efforts may affect their mental health. Informed by trauma theory and stress, appraisal, and coping theory, this study used semi-structured in-depth interviews with 30 Black male and female undergraduate college students (aged 18–28) exposed to police killings of other unarmed Black people to examine their coping efforts and the impact on their mental health. Students were recruited from four historically Black colleges and universities in South Carolina. Grounded theory analysis identified several emotion-focused coping and problem-focused coping employed by Black college students to cope with repeated police killings. Furthermore, findings suggest that proactive planning for police killings, at both individual and personal network levels, buffers students against the negative mental impacts of these events. Research and practice implications suggest the need for future studies to identify and develop culturally specific interventions that support effective coping skills to mitigate adverse health outcomes for Black people in the aftermath of police killings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People living alone are often depicted as prone to social isolation and poor well-being. Since previous research largely focused on comparisons between the living arrangements of older adults, evidence on differences within middle-aged adults living alone remains sparse. The present study used a person-centered approach to allow for a comprehensive understanding of the heterogeneity of living alone in midlife. Middle-aged adults (N = 389; aged 35–60 years) reported on their personal networks, personality, and well-being and completed diaries on daily network interactions. Using latent class analysis, we constructed a network typology and examined differences in social motives, well-being, daily interaction quantity, and daily relationship quality. We found four structural network types: Individuals with diverse networks (highest in size, contact, proximity, and heterogeneity) felt less lonely than individuals with restricted (lowest in size, contact, proximity, and heterogeneity) or loose-knit networks (low in contact). Individuals with loose-knit networks reported poorer well-being than those in diverse or partner-focused networks (all partnered). We found little support for differences in social motives. All network types differed in daily interaction quantity but did not differ in daily relationship quality. The study highlights the heterogeneity of personal networks in middle-aged adults living alone. Possible implications for the social embeddedness and psychological adaptation of people living alone in midlife are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the National Survey on Social Relations (ENRS), the present article analyses Argentinians’ close environments (CE), which are defined as the relationships that they consider closest. Their composition is described, as well as their degrees of homophily and isomorphism. Furthermore, a typology is built that combines the type of bond between individuals (egos) with the members of their CEs and the type of relationship they establish with each other. It also explores the prevalence of each type according to age, gender, class and place of residence of the egos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the influence of family and friends on students' higher education plans. Using a Bourdieusian framework, it examines social class and contextual influences on both the structure of students' networks and the content of interactions within them. These are shown to be dependent on the dispositions and capitals of both the students and the members of those networks. Relying on data from a questionnaire circulated among 1,645 French lycée students, the article shows the existence of significant social class differences in the frequency and nature of students' interactions about higher education with various types of family members and friends. It also highlights that these differences are subject to contextual variations, with students from the same social background interacting differently with their personal networks about their higher education plans depending on the school they attend and the track in which they are enrolled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies increasingly recognize the presence and impact of difficult individuals within personal networks. However, current research sheds little light on the turnover, retention, and change in quality of such difficult ties. The current study addresses this gap by focusing on two distinct forms of network change. We examine how role relationships, support exchange, relational homophily, and personal characteristics are associated with these processes. Data are drawn from three waves of the University of California Social Network Study (UCNets), a project containing comprehensive longitudinal data on ego networks among two adult cohorts. Findings indicate that over time, 34% of difficult ties re-appear in people's networks as sources of aggravation; 26% of difficult ties are removed from the network; and 40% can no longer be verified as problematic network members. Most ties no longer deemed difficult are identified as providing one or more supportive functions. Multinomial multilevel models reveal that exchanging support tends to anchor difficult ties in the network. Kinship, meanwhile, plays a large role in whether difficult ties remain or get dropped. Personal characteristics such as gender, income, and relocation also play a role in these processes. Overall, we conclude that the turnover dynamics of difficult ties are similar to other ties, and the apparent change from negative to positive suggests that many ties hold ambivalent properties that make shedding such ties less common than may be expected. • Focus on difficult tie change in personal networks. • Network change among difficult ties often follow similar patterns governing positive ties. • Multinomial multilevel logistic regression of difficult tie change among personal networks. • Exchanging support tends to anchor difficult ties in the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Redes is the property of Redes-Revista Hispana para el Analisis de Redes Sociales and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Moral differences hinder communication and relationship formation. However, perceptions and reactions to moral dissimilarity varies. Accordingly, we explored how moral adaptiveness (a flexible application of morality) relates to the intent to communicate with and befriend morally dissimilar others by focusing on moral relativism (believing that morals are subjective) and moral tolerance (believing that one should not condemn/change dissimilar others). We observed adaptiveness' relationships with the willingness to communicate (WTC) with morally dissimilar others and greater moral diversity in close friendship networks. Surveys of convenience samples of adults recruited through MTurk (Nstudy1 = 325; Nstudy2 = 1219) demonstrated partial evidence of a positive link between moral adaptiveness and WTC. By comparison, a consistent relationship between adaptiveness and the moral diversity of friendship networks did not emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SELFIE is a tool of the European Commission designed to support schools in developing their digital capacity. Schools across Europe have used SELFIE as a diagnostic tool. However, participating schools expressed a need for external guidance in the implementation of digital education transformation, including the exchange of expertise and inspiring practices with other educational centers. In this research we explore what are the key factors in the creation of collaborative networks between teachers. As a case study, we focus on the first steps of building a network of schools to promote digital education in Cantabria (northern Spain). With the participation of 11 schools, we conducted 22 interviews and 2 focus groups to analyze the learning environments of the teaching staff, the personal collaboration networks in the professional field, and the factors perceived as relevant in the design of the digital action plan of each school. The results showed the existence of teachers in each school who were pioneers in the digitization process and who acted as intermediaries both with the public educational administration and with teachers from other schools. During the interviews with these pioneers, we evaluated their personal networks as well as the factors they deem significant for an effective digital transformation. The results were contrasted in a public forum in which 120 teachers participated. Based on these results, we discuss how the creation of a network of key actors could contribute in developing the digital capacity of schools in the region.

Scholarship on negative social ties typically portrays them as distinct liabilities and optimal candidates for excision from social networks. I argue that this premise is based on a short-sighted understanding of what it means for social ties to be negative. In particular, negativity as a trait of social ties has multiple dimensions, such that ties can be negative in a relatively objective sense (that is, they can pose risk to network egos by virtue of some quality or qualities) with or without being negative in a relatively subjective sense (that is, feeling taxing to egos). To disentangle these two dimensions, I report on a case study of network ties among residents of Sycamore, a leased-housing program for young adults trying to overcome drug addictions. I describe how residents universally understood certain ties—ties to individuals who were addicted to drugs or otherwise had drugs in their possession—as risks to their sobriety, but found only some of those ties taxing. In fact, some risky ties seemed beneficial to residents by displaying nonjudgmental attitudes in the wake of residents' setbacks, reminding residents of their lowest points, and supplying residents with chances to practice self-restraint and advantageous decision making. The findings show how people can know that certain ties pose risks to their well-being but feel that the ties are good for them. Broadly, the article encourages greater attention to the multidimensional nature of ties' negativity and highlights the unexpected roles putatively negative ties play in individuals' lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Political families in transitional societies are often seen in the context of corruption, democratic regression, deterioration of socio-economic development, inequality, and deprivation. High levels of dynasticism, however, also exist in advanced democratic societies. Using the example of Taiwan, this article explores the factors behind the evolution of electoral dynasties and how the behavior of hereditary politicians has been conditioned by democratization. More specifically, the article argues that legacy politicians are not per se the Pandora's box of low-quality politics. Rather, they act like other networks of personal relations. As such, self-imposed ethical standards and inherited cultural norms may substantially restrain the intrinsic particularistic potentials of such networks, but in the long run only political modernization can prevent them from cultivating political capitalism—the predatory use of public resources. That is, political modernization conditions the behavior of electoral dynasties. It transforms particularistic networks into more progressive and programmatic forms of dynasticism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how social media and information-sharing behavior can influence young adults' perceptions of changes in tie strength within their own personal networks. By focusing on the extended personal networks (27.56 relationships) of young adults, we show that social media leads them to feel closer to their "friends" whom they think of as exhibiting online behaviors similar to their own. This behavioral homophily mainly stems from frequent reactions between friends, when they like or comment upon each other's posts. Such homophily is also related to the sharing of political news and entertaining content, which constitute a salient affordance in the "pervasive awareness" of social media and lead users to feel closer to those exhibiting similar content-sharing behavior. This similarity reveals how social media platforms help to shape personal networks over time, particularly by influencing user relationships with weak ties who share similar online behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggregate relational data (ARD) on relationships between individuals and subgroups have been informative for studying egocentric network size and degree distributions, assessing segregation in contact with subpopulations, and estimating the size of unlisted groups. Scale-up models for ARD usually assume survey data giving counts of acquaintances in subpopulations, but a closed-ended response format that asks respondents to select a category covering a range of counts may be less burdensome. The simplest (dichotomous) such format distinguishes between having one or more acquaintances in a subpopulation and having none; many existing position generator data take this form. We assess the potential of dichotomous ARD by adapting existing methods for inference from count ARD to accommodate such data. We find that they permit estimation of degree distributions for basic scale-up models, though estimates are less precise than those from count ARD. Dichotomous ARD do not contain sufficient information to model segregation, however. These limitations may be addressed by estimating segregation using respondent heterogeneity on observed covariates, and/or by using a slightly expanded closed response format (0, 1, or two or more acquaintances). Our results suggest how the applications of position generator data – which typically collect dichotomous ARD – might be broadened to encompass questions studied using ARD. • Basic scale-up models can be estimated with dichotomous aggregate relational data (ARD). • Degree distributions are estimated suitably, but with less precision than count ARD. • Dichotomous ARD are problematic for models that include segregation/barrier effects. • Adding covariates or using a 0/1/2+ trichotomy can address limitations of dichotomous ARD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given increased political polarization and racial tension in the wake of the 2016 presidential election in the United States, this study examines dropped ties in personal networks at that time based on political and racial identities. We employed data from the 2015–2018 UCNets study (n = 1159), a longitudinal, representative data set of the San Francisco Bay Area. In late 2015 and early 2016 it generated personal network data via multiple name generators, eliciting alters whom respondents socialized with, confided in, received advice from, exchanged social support with, and found difficult. Using multilevel multinomial logit models, we then examined various reasons for tie dissolution immediately following the inauguration of Trump in early 2017. The results show that among young adults, politically dissimilar alters were more likely to be dropped due to disagreements. With respect to racial homophily, we found that interracial dyads were more likely to be dropped because of drifting apart or some other reason for both younger and older cohorts. Overall, there is some support for the notion that dropped ties due to political disagreements did occur immediately following the 2016 election, but the results highlight the continuing significance of race in personal networks. • Adults with different-race alters were more likely to report having drifted apart. • Only young adults were more likely to defriend politically dissimilar alters. • There is evidence of some political defriending following the 2016 election. • The results highlight the continuing significance of race in personal networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Redes is the property of Redes-Revista Hispana para el Analisis de Redes Sociales and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The growing numbers of Lithuanian families living across borders have prompted the reflection on family relations through the lens of the need for care and support of dependent children and elderly parents. The authors of this article expand the analysis of family lives in the migration context beyond child–parent relationships and shift the attention to understudied areas where sibling relationships are located. Sibling relationships are considered embedded within the family and the wider network of personal relationships. This article builds on the personal networks approach to examine the position of siblings in the personal networks of Lithuanian family members and draws on a toolbox of analytical concepts provided by the solidarity approach to disclose how sibling relationships could come into play in the case of need. The analysis of statistical data and two surveys carried out in Lithuania as part of the research project funded by the Research Council of Lithuania enabled the authors to uncover different layers of involvement of siblings in “doing families” across households and borders and to highlight the gendered patterns of support expectations towards siblings if/when the need of elderly or child care would arise in the migration context. The research data provide empirical evidence that sibling relationships could be affected by differentiated mobility experiences of family members and the re‐definition of family roles due to newly emerging multi‐local interactions. Cross‐border family practices create new patterns of family relationships and an “intimate, but different” type of solidarity, common to Lithuanian residents with prior migration experience.

In this paper we address the methodology and some results of an applied research project aimed at revalorization of Maya language (maayat'aan); most of the participants are students, whose families have interrupted the Maya language transmission. We draw on the premises of a reflexive workshop and the methodology of personal networks, which enable the family memory reconstruction, autobiographical work, and the creation of intersubjective bonds between peers. We present the cases of three participants that allow to observe three particular processes, through which the language revalorization occurs on the subjective level. On the intersubjective level, sharing stories, feelings, and ideas allows to transit "from solitary individual existence to community social existence" (Kaplún, 1988, p. 60). This is manifested in the creation, by the project participants, of a juvenile group that fosters the Maya language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing research highlights heterogeneity in patterns of social network change, with growing evidence that these patterns are shaped in part by social structure. The role of social and structural neighborhood conditions in the addition and loss of kin and non-kin network members, however, has not been fully considered. In this paper, we argue that the residential neighborhood context can either facilitate or prevent the turnover of core network relationships in later life – a period of the life course characterized by heightened reliance on network ties and vulnerability to neighborhood conditions. Using longitudinal data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project linked with data from the American Community Survey, we find that higher levels of neighborhood concentrated disadvantage are associated with the loss of older adults' kin and non-kin network members over time. Higher levels of perceived neighborhood social interaction, however, are associated with higher rates of adding non-kin network members and lower rates of adding kin network members over time. We suggest that neighborhood conditions, including older adults' perceptions of neighborhood social life, represent an underexplored influence on kin and non-kin social network dynamics, which could have implications for access to social resources later in the life course. • Neighborhood conditions influence the addition and loss of older adults' personal network members over time. • These associations emerge even when accounting for life-course transitions, health, and social position. • Older adults living in higher levels of local concentrated disadvantage lose kin and non-kin network ties at higher rates. • Greater perceived neighborhood social ties are associated with higher rates of non-kin additions and lower rates of kin additions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deconstruction of personal networks through the iterative elimination of the nodes with the highest betweenness centrality is an effective strategy for describing their structural properties. In this study we show that iterative deconstruction can also serve to classify personal networks into typologies. With longitudinal data from a sample of 69 students, we found that denser networks are more resistant to fragmentation while those organized in defined subgroups usually have a shorter deconstruction process. In addition, the deconstruction strategy allows knowing the hierarchical structure of personal networks, made up of nested subgroups. • The iterative deconstruction of personal networks allows the elaboration of typologies. • Denser networks have a longer deconstruction process. • Deconstruction reveals the hierarchical structure of nested subgroups in personal networks. • Two types of definite structures were identified, highly cohesive networks and cluster-organized networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we investigate the construction, composition and rationale behind the personal networks of recent immigrants to Canada. Drawing on egocentric‐network analysis and interviews with 172 Ghanaian immigrants in Toronto, we reveal their networking strategies during their integration. First, we identify social locations that help create ties with different groups: workplaces and schools offer access to ties with non‐immigrants and other immigrants alike, while religious and ethnic organizations facilitate ties to co‐nationals (i.e., Ghanaians). Second, most individuals within immigrants' network are co‐nationals whose relationship began in Canada, followed by sustained transnational ties in the origin and diaspora and few ties with the non‐immigrant. The nature of this network is explained by examining the migration project of immigrants together with the context of reception in Canada, which suggests a desire by immigrants to stay in Canada and make Canada their second home. The implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informed by Bronfenbrenner's ecological model of development, this mixed-methods study's aims are to: (1) describe rural Latino/a adolescents' (N = 62) narratives and lived social experiences in the context of rurality, and (2) examine their personal networks to better understand their social interactions (subset of 30 adolescents). Rural Latino/a adolescents move in limited social circles and experience geographic, cultural, and social isolation due to immigration status problems, socioeconomic issues, racial discrimination, and family dynamics. This limitation is reflected by personal networks that tend to be homogenous in terms of ethnicity, age, and sociodemographic characteristics. School, although characterized by weak social ties often disconnected from community and family contacts, emerged as the dominant context of sociability where adolescents build their social identity outside the circle of dense family ties. Findings suggest a critical need for interventions to reduce isolation and enhance social connectedness between family, school, and rural community in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social networks of socially disadvantaged individuals can help them in coping with everyday life and avoiding social exclusion. At the same time, social ties also have the power to bind an individual to their disadvantageous situation, perpetuating the risks of social exclusion. One mechanism through which ties can be established are “foci”: extra‐network structures around which common interactions occur (e.g., family, workplace, clubs) that usually have spatial anchor points (places) where joint interactions happen. To better understand this interplay of places and networks, we use a methodological novelty that connects a person’s everyday places with their ego‐centred network (two‐mode network). We analyse in depth two cases (elderly women living alone) from a mixed‐methods study conducted in rural peripheries in eastern Germany, and we combine data from GPS tracking, qualitative interviews, and egocentric networks. A central finding of our analysis is that tie formation in places is more successful if ego has certain resources (e.g., cultural, financial, or time resources) that allow them to utilise places as foci—hence, ego and places must “match” in their characteristics. Beyond that, the existing foci (and their spatial anchoring as places in everyday life) in which ego is integrated must be considered as structures. Even if a person has enough resources and easy access to places with characteristics that promote contact, this does not automatically mean that they will form ties in such places, as the person’s network plays a major role in whether they frequent these places and establish new ties there.

Recent literature recognises the importance of situating social networks in spatial context. Yet, the spatial analysis of personal networks has often been limited to examining residential distances between actors. While distance is a central characteristic of social relationships, it is a poor indicator for understanding the intricacies of the geographical space, places and personal networks. This study develops an original approach for mapping and analysing personal networks based on their geographical scope and the distribution of the residential locations of network members in relevant geographical areas. We perform a factor and cluster analysis to identify the major geographical patterns of personal networks using two samples of egocentric networks from France and Switzerland. We validate the approach first by interpreting the patterns both quantitatively and qualitatively, and second by examining how these patterns relate to important social characteristics of respondents and their personal networks. We conclude by discussing the significance of this approach for integrating geographical information into the analysis of personal networks and for rethinking networks and the geographical space as co‐constituted.

This study examines the effects of personal and business networks on fundraising successes through fundraising opportunities and analyze the differences in the effects of personal and business networks vary depending on the firm’s age groups. The first finding of this study is that both the startup founder's personal and business networks increase the funding opportunities for startups. Second, the number of successful investments increases as the number of fundraising opportunities from business networks increases. Third, the total effect of business networks is greater than the total effect of personal networks. Fourth, the difference in the effect of a founder's business and personal network on investment success in an old or mature startup firm is greater than the difference in effect in a new and nascent startup firm. This result means that young start-ups that do not yet have sufficiently developed business networks rely on private networks to attract investment, and that the two types of networks have similar effects on investment attraction success in the early stages of the startup business. This study contributes to the literature by showing that the effectiveness of fundraising through business networks is greater than those of personal networks and the impacts of social networks on fundraising successes vary depending on the age or growth stage of startups.

Studies in the neurotypical population have demonstrated that personal social networks can mitigate cognitive decline and the development of Alzheimer disease. To assess whether these benefits can also be extended to people with Down syndrome (DS), we studied whether and how personal networks can be measured in this population. We adapted a personal networks instrument previously created, validated, and implemented for the neurotypical population. We created two versions of the survey: one for participants with DS, ages 25 and older, and another for their study partners, who spent a minimum of 10 h/wk in a caregiver role. Participants with DS gave concordant data to those of study partners. Their personal networks included a median network size of 7.50, density 0.80, constraint 46.00, and effective size 3.07. Personal networks were composed of 50% kin, 80% who live within 15 miles, and 80% who eat a healthy diet. In this proof‐of‐principle study, we demonstrated that the personal networks of people with DS can be quantitatively analyzed, with no statistical difference between self‐report and parent‐proxy report. Future research efforts can now evaluate interventions to enhance personal networks for preventing Alzheimer disease in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economically disadvantaged communities experience disproportionate health and social challenges relative to more affluent areas. This study describes ways women support and give back to their community in a minority-majority community experiencing social, economic and health challenges. We conducted qualitative interviews with 100 women and human service providers serving women in Flint, Genesee County, Michigan. Using methods aligned with community-based participatory research, a group of community and academic partners analyzed the data. Participants noted several personal characteristics of women they identified as assets including resilience, strength, resourcefulness, creativity, determination, tenacity, wisdom and the ability to nurture others. We think these personal characteristics represent individual assets that help women in Flint survive and build social capital. Women reported developing their social capital through giving, collaborating and sharing their skills with people in their personal networks. Significant personal assets in the form of individual characteristics already exist within Flint. Even in an area characterized as having health and economic challenges, women in this study were able to leverage their personal assets to build social capital and to mobilize resources for their benefit and the benefit of the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explains the factors that led to the use of a hybrid data collection tool—i.e., a single questionnaire designed to collect both quantitative and qualitative data—in two different research projects that focused on the relation between the labour market trajectories of young people and the use and accumulation of network social capital in these trajectories. The article describes the characteristics of this tool and the methodological challenges posed by its use. The advantages and disadvantages of this specific type of data collection are also addressed. Among the main advantages, the improvement of data quality and the overarching picture obtained of the career path and use of personal networks are highlighted. The most important downside found is the amount of time needed in the interview, which shows the need to pay attention to the balance between quantitative and qualitative elements in the structure of the questionnaire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing numbers of Lithuanian families living across borders have prompted the reflection on family relations through the lens of the need for care and support of dependent children and elderly parents. The authors of this article expand the analysis of family lives in the migration context beyond child–parent relationships and shift the attention to understudied areas where sibling relationships are located. Sibling relationships are considered embedded within the family and the wider network of personal relationships. This article builds on the personal networks approach to examine the position of siblings in the personal networks of Lithuanian family members and draws on a toolbox of analytical concepts provided by the solidarity approach to disclose how sibling relationships could come into play in the case of need. The analysis of statistical data and two surveys carried out in Lithuania as part of the research project funded by the Research Council of Lithuania enabled the authors to uncover different layers of involvement of siblings in “doing families” across households and borders and to highlight the gendered patterns of support expectations towards siblings if/when the need of elderly or child care would arise in the migration context. The research data provide empirical evidence that sibling relationships could be affected by differentiated mobility experiences of family members and the re‐definition of family roles due to newly emerging multi‐local interactions. Cross‐border family practices create new patterns of family relationships and an “intimate, but different” type of solidarity, common to Lithuanian residents with prior migration experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why do people maintain ties with individuals whom they find difficult? Standard network theories imply that such alters are avoided or dropped. Drawing on a survey of over 1,100 diverse respondents who described over 12,000 relationships, we examined which among those ties respondents nominated as a person whom they "sometimes find demanding or difficult." Those so listed composed about 15 percent of all alters in the network. After holding ego and alter traits constant, close kin, especially women relatives and aging parents, were especially likely to be named as difficult alters. Non-kin described as friends were less, and those described as co-workers more, likely to be listed only as difficult alters. These results suggest that normative and institutional constraints may force people to retain difficult and demanding alters in their networks. We also found that providing support to alters, but not receiving support from those alters, was a major source of difficulty in these relationships. Furthermore, the felt burden of providing support was not attenuated by receiving assistance, suggesting that alters involved in reciprocated exchanges were not less often labeled difficult than were those in unreciprocated ones. This study underlines the importance of constraints in personal networks.

Background: Compulsive exercise (CE) is a harmful form of exercise that elevates the risk of developing/sustaining clinical eating disorders. College-aged sorority women are especially prone to CE. Due to the pronounced impact social relationships have on college students' behavior, this study aims to examine personal networks and CE among a sample of sorority women through an egocentric network analysis. Methods: A total of 204 women in a sorority from a large, private university in the southeastern United States completed a cross-sectional survey in spring 2015. Descriptive and regression analyses were conducted on demographic, attribute, and ego network data. Results: Relationships with siblings, significant others, and roommates were protective against CE in this sample. Conversely, body dissatisfaction and exercise frequency predicted CE. Conclusions: Findings suggest that social relationships can impact CE behaviors in this sample. Along with promoting body satisfaction and healthy exercise, public health efforts should focus on facilitating close interpersonal relationships, especially between sorority women and siblings, significant others, and roommates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the research on personal networking and deep learning have been conducted separately. Crossovers between the two fields have just emerged. This article provides a quick introduction to the fundamentals of deep learning, as well as the most recent advancements in the field. Other methodologies and platforms for deploying deep learning on personal network systems are also discussed and compared. Self-Sustained Personal Network (SSPN) is utilized for a wide range of networking functions, including computation, text analytics, and many more. Using deep learning approaches, this study demonstrates how to individualize personal networking activities in order to get the greatest performance in complicated settings with more efficient ones. Other features of deep learning modeling, such as supervised or unsupervised task learning skills with Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN), Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and deep reinforcement learning, which aims to explain the capabilities of deep learning approaches to operate in an automated and intelligent way are described. Moreover, this research aims to provide the conceptual roadmap between network researchers to real-time networking practitioners who implement deep learning approaches in personal networks. As a result of the implementing deep learning algorithms into real time network installation, new and powerful tools have emerged. This research study develops an efficient learning protocol by predicting future traffic in the personal network using a time series forecast of past traffic. Furthermore, while the algorithm is run, the future personal network numbers are generated randomly. A deep learning method is used in the different algorithms to reduce the normalized mean square error. The correlation function and error histograms are shown in the results and discussion section. By examining the overlap between these modern trend algorithms for self- sustained personal networks, this research study tries to bridge the gap between the deep learning and computer networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Global North, corruption is considered incompatible with civic health: scholars argue that it decreases social trust, atomizes communities, and discourages active citizenship. Using the first-ever national dataset from Russia with behavioral measures of corruption, ego-centric networks, and political participation, this article develops an alternative theory of corruption's impact on civic life in societies where freedoms of association are limited. Analyses of these new data suggest that: (1) Russian bribe-givers are embedded in outward-oriented and mobilizable personal networks, supportive of civic connectivity; and (2) Russian bribe-givers are significantly more likely than law-abiding citizens to mobilize others when pushing back against the state. Counterintuitively, then, in non-democracies, corruption in the public sector sustains the kind of social networks that underlie civic culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do individuals’ networks of personal relationships affect their social in‐ and exclusion? Researchers have shown that micro‐level, informal relationships can be highly consequential for social inclusion, but in complex, contradictory ways: Personal networks reflect the degree of relational exclusion and protect against (other forms of) exclusion, but they also erode in conditions of exclusion and reproduce exclusion. While network researchers have widely studied some of these mechanisms, they have yet to embrace others. Therefore, this thematic issue reconsiders the complex relationship between personal networks and social inclusion. It offers a unique vantage point by bringing together researchers who work with different marginalised social groups, typically studied separately: refugees, transnational migrants, indigenous people, older people, people experiencing poverty, LGBT people, and women who have experienced domestic violence. This combination allows us to detect commonalities and differences in network functioning across historically excluded groups. This editorial lays the theoretical groundwork for the thematic issue and discusses the key contributions of the seventeen articles that compose the issue. We call for more attention to relationship expectations, the reciprocity of support flows, and contextual embeddedness, and question universally adopted theoretical binaries such as that of bonding and bridging social capital.

The article explores how different factors shape migrants’ transnational social fields and support networks through a comparative study of two different groups of migrants—asylum seekers and expatriates—in Budapest, Hungary. To do so, the study employs a parallel mixed‐methods social network design by combining personal network data with qualitative data based on interviews and ethnographic fieldwork with thirty‐three migrants in the aftermath of the 2015 refugee crisis. The article presents three key findings: First, it finds that asylum seekers’ and expatriates’ networks differ on several key characteristics, as asylum seekers’ close personal networks are less efficient, smaller in size, and show a remarkable lack of friendship and transnational support ties. Second, it also finds that asylum seekers have limited access to social support and, especially so, to financial and emotional support. Lastly, using multi‐level models, the article also demonstrates how migrants’ legal status and the transnationality of their support ties affect their access to financial support, as well as how their gender and legal status shape their access to emotional support. These findings illustrate how migrants’ individual opportunity structures affect their transnational practices alongside their access to social support, while also highlighting the importance of several individual and contextual factors which contribute to the diverse integration processes of migrants.

How do individuals achieve upward mobility in education despite the well‐documented mechanisms that foster reproduction of inequalities? This question presents a fundamental puzzle for social science researchers and has generated an increasing body of research. The present article tackles the puzzle using a life course and personal network lens. Studying educational trajectories in Germany of students whose parents have low educational degrees, it asks: What paths did students take through the education system, what personal network factors were important for their educational attainment, and how did these factors change over students’ life courses? In contrast to most studies that zoom in on a specific transition or time period, the article uses data from 36 retrospective in‐depth interviews that allow a sweeping view of respondents’ educational careers. Thanks to a systematic case selection scheme, the data also enables comparisons between students who became upwardly mobile and those who replicated their parents’ low educational degrees. Findings suggest four types of trajectories: direct upward mobility, indirect upward mobility, direct non‐mobility, and indirect non‐mobility. I discuss four personal network factors that seem to drive these trajectories: support with academic efforts, encouragement, support with solving problems, and role models. Upwardly mobile students showed combinations of two or more of these four factors that established higher education as the students’ goal, and provided them with tools and support to reach that goal. With these findings, the article contributes to literature on inclusion in education, social inequality and mobility, personal networks, and the life course.

Romantic partners of unemployed individuals uniquely experience stress due to spillover effects of unemployment and their role as primary support providers for the unemployed individual. The present study drew on the extended theoretical model of communal coping (TMCC) to examine a process of communal coping experienced by romantic partners (N = 285) of unemployed individuals, who completed an online survey. Analyses indicated that stress related to unemployment was negatively associated with a partner's communal coping and communal coping was negatively associated with relational load. Perceived support from friends and family acted as a moderating influence on the relationships among stress, communal coping, and relational load. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal networks undergo changes in structure and composition throughout the life span, adapting to developmental transitions and changing circumstances in a dynamic way. This study examines stability and change in social convoys from childhood to adulthood and variation in trajectories of convoy characteristics by gender and race. Multilevel models for convoy structure and composition characteristics were estimated using three waves of longitudinal data spanning 23 years. The regionally representative sample included 193 children aged 8 to 12 in Wave i (1992) who were surveyed again in their 20s (Wave 2) and 30s (Wave 3). The Wave 1 sample comprised 52% girls, 32% Black children, and 59% White children with average maternal educational attainment of 13 years. Overall. changes in composition, proximity, and contact frequency were observed at each wave. Between Waves 1 and 2, the changes reflect age-normative trends toward network diversification typical of the transition to adulthood, whereas between Waves 2 and 3, the changes were consistent with those expected as young adults settle into stable roles. We also identified convoy characteristics that differed between men and women and between Black and White individuals, emphasizing the importance of considering personal characteristics to fully understand form and function of social relations. Social convoy trajectories early in the life span provide direction for more in-depth examinations of the implications of social ties during these critical life periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High school is an institution where teens spend a large part of their time. Consequently, in this context, a dense network of relationships tends to be formed during the period of study at the institute. However, at the end of secondary school, this set of contextualized relationships begins to disintegrate. In this study, we analyze the transition from high school to university of a cohort of high school students. First, we interviewed all the students who were in their last year of high school at an institute in the province of Seville (n = 69). A year and a half later, we interviewed them again when many of them were already studying at university (n = 57). Using a hybrid research design, we collected personal network data from each interviewee in the context of a longitudinal whole network design of the entire cohort analyzed. The results show a decrease in the structural cohesion of the networks, both for personal networks and for the complete network. Furthermore, less cohesive personal networks seem more likely to experience short-term changes in ecological transition processes. In the discussion we reflect on the impact of educational transitions on friendship relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]