Study on social networks maintained by the elderly people in Japan using socioemotional selectivity theory

• Project/Area Number: 24530788
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social psychology
• Research Institution: Akita Prefectural University
• Principal Investigator: WATANABE Satoshi 秋田県立大学, 公私立大学の部局等, 教授 (40240486)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SHIBUTANI Hirohide 青森大学, 社会学部, 教授 (40226189) ; YOSHIMURA Harumasa 奈良大学, 社会学部, 准教授 (60326626)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,680,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,080,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥2,470,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥570,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
• Keywords: 社会情動的選択性 / 高齢者 / ソーシャルネットワーク / 社会情動的選択性理論 / 未来展望 / パーソナルネットワーク / ERGM

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of our research was to identify the important variables which influence the quality and characteristics of human relationships among the elderly. We formalized human relations as interpersonal networks and conducted a survey to analyze the data gained about these networks using ERGM. Our survey was designed to assess the relationship networks which the elderly are connected to and which give them the greatest support. The survey was carried out from March 13 - 30, 2014. We sampled 275 elderly people living in Aomori City. The surveyed items included: age, gender, educational level, marital status, restrictions on free time, money, physical mobility, personal skills, the degree of satisfaction with their relationships, the amount of time necessary to travel to meet others, the degree of similarities and length in relationships, supports, and the strength of intimate ties. Through ERGM analysis, we show that homophily effects elderly people.

Research Products

• [Presentation] Analysis of personal networks maintained by the elderly in Japan (2014)
  • Author(s): Watanabe,S., Shibutani,H., Yoshimura,H. and Kokubo,A.
  • Organizer: 2014 ANPOR Annual Conference
  • Place of Presentation: 新潟市朱鷺メッセ
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-29 – 2014-11-30
• [Presentation] Future time perspective and satisfaction among the elderly －Looking at how personal networks are maintained by the elderly in Japan － (2014)
  • Author(s): Watanabe,S.
  • Organizer: 1st tri-nation psychology symposium
  • Place of Presentation: Beijing International Convention Hotel, Beijing
  • Year and Date: 2014-10-11 – 2014-10-12