The Group Effect (eBook)

Preface 7
Acknowledgments 8
Contents 9
1 The Significance of the Social Group 14
Introduction 14
The Concept of Group 14
Common Characteristics of Social Groups 15
Interdependence of Members 15
External Relationships 16
Cohesion 16
Identification with the Group and Membership Motives 17
Leadership Behavior 18
Group Culture 18
Types of Groups 18
The Individual Versus the Group as the Unit of Analysis 19
Groups, Relationships, Health, and Well-Being 22
Effects of Social Ties on Health 23
The Effects of Social Ostracism on Health 25
The Effects of Social Isolation on Health 25
The Effects of Loneliness on Health 27
Effects of Group Culture on Health and Well-Being 28
Old Order Amish 28
Mormons 29
Seventh-Day Adventists 30
Israeli Kibbutzim 31
Clergy and Religious Orders 32
Okinawans 33
Tarahumara Indians 34
Costa Rica's Nicoyans 35
Summary 36
Notes 37
2 The Concept of Social Cohesion 43
Introduction 43
Historical Overview of Conceptions of Social Cohesion 43
Empirical Studies (Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries) 47
Experimental Studies (Early- to Mid-20th Century) 47
Social Network Analysis (Late 20th and Early 21st Centuries) 53
Measuring Social Cohesion in Small Groups 54
Measuring Social Cohesion in Large Groups 56
Feelings of Social Cohesiveness 57
Perceptions of Social Cohesiveness 58
Social Network Analysis 58
Summary 59
Notes 59
3 Social Cohesion and Related Concepts: Social Supportand Social Capital 61
Introduction 61
Social Support 62
Concept 62
Evidence of Effects 63
Dimensions of Social Support 64
Measurement 65
Social Capital 66
Concept 67
Evidence of Effects 68
Dimensions of Social Capital 69
Measurement 70
Functional Measures 70
Structural Measures 71
Positional Measures 71
Community Social Capital 71
Sorting Out Conceptual Relationships 73
Different Concepts, Purposes, and Uses 75
Summary 75
Notes 77
4 Cohesive Societies 80
Introduction 80
Social Indicators and Social Cohesion 80
Civic Health Index 81
Index of Social Health 82
OECD Social Indicators 83
Voting 84
Crime 84
Suicide 85
Work Accidents 85
Strikes 85
Trust in Political Institutions 86
Life Satisfaction 86
Societal Integration and Health 86
Cultural Differences in Social Integration 87
Health Information as a Proxy for Measuring Societal Cohesiveness 87
Summary 88
Notes 88
5 Cohesive Communities 90
Introduction 90
How Communities Become Cohesive 91
Maintaining and Strengthening Community Cohesiveness 99
Creating Cohesion Across Ethnically Diverse Communities 101
Virtual Communities and Social Cohesiveness 102
Effects of the Internet on Local Communities and Social Cohesion 103
Trust as a Proxy for Community Cohesiveness 104
The Measurement of Social Cohesion in Communities 105
Summary 107
Notes 109
6 Cohesive Neighborhoods 113
Introduction 113
The Significance of Neighborhood 113
Neighborhood Contexts and Neighboring Patterns 114
Neighborhood Contexts 114
Neighboring Patterns 115
Neighborhood Ties 116
Perceptions of Neighborhood Boundaries 116
Neighboring 119
Neighborhood Contexts, Neighboring Patterns, and Health 120
Neighborhood Influences on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health 120
Perceptions of Neighborhood Cohesion and Self-Rated Health 121
Measuring Neighborhood Social Cohesion 122
Data Sources 122
Multilevel, Multifactor Approach 123
Social Structure Plus Subjective Experience 126
Instruments to Measure Neighborhood Cohesion 126
The Neighborhood Cohesion Index (NCI) 126
Collective Efficacy 129
Multidimensional Measure of Neighboring (MMN) 130
Neighborhood Cohesion: Challenges for Future Studies 130
Summary 131
Notes 132
7 Cohesive Families 136
Introduction 136
A Systems Perspective of the Family 136
Family Cohesion 137
Family Cohesion and Competence 138
Family Cohesion and Culture 139
Family Cohesion and Change 141
Family Cohesion, Parental Relationships, and Child/Adolescent Behavior 142
Marital Satisfaction and Family Cohesion 142
Parenting, Social Networks, and Family Cohesion 143
Perceived Family Cohesion and Health Behavior 144
Family Cohesion as a Mediator 144
Family Criticism as a Mediator 145
Measuring Family Cohesion 145
Familism, Acculturation, and Family Cohesion 148
Summary 149
Notes 150
8 Social Cohesion as a Mediator of Health Outcomes 154
Introduction 154
A Look Inside Cohesive Groups 154
Components of a Cohesive Group 155
Social Identity 155
Trust 156
Reciprocity 157
Loyalty 158
What We Can Learn from Behavioral Health Interventions 159
A Paradigm 159
Example: Family Process and the Effects of Parental Alcoholism 160
Example: Mediating Neighborhood Effects on Educational Achievement 161
Example: Multilevel Community Project to Prevent Alcohol Use Among Adolescents 162
The Group Effect: Next Steps 163
Summary 164
Notes 165
References 167
Index 170