scholarly journals Social brain volume is associated with in-degree social network size among older adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 285 (1871) ◽  
pp. 20172708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyul Kwak ◽  
Won-tak Joo ◽  
Yoosik Youm ◽  
Jeanyung Chey
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Brain Volume ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Global Network ◽  
Social Brain ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
The Social ◽  
Brain Correlates

The social brain hypothesis proposes that large neocortex size evolved to support cognitively demanding social interactions. Accordingly, previous studies have observed that larger orbitofrontal and amygdala structures predict the size of an individual's social network. However, it remains uncertain how an individual's social connectedness reported by other people is associated with the social brain volume. In this study, we found that a greater in-degree network size, a measure of social ties identified by a subject's social connections rather than by the subject, significantly correlated with a larger regional volume of the orbitofrontal cortex, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and lingual gyrus. By contrast, out-degree size, which is based on an individual's self-perceived connectedness, showed no associations. Meta-analytic reverse inference further revealed that regional volume pattern of in-degree size was specifically involved in social inference ability. These findings were possible because our dataset contained the social networks of an entire village, i.e. a global network. The results suggest that the in-degree aspect of social network size not only confirms the previously reported brain correlates of the social network but also shows an association in brain regions involved in the ability to infer other people's minds. This study provides insight into understanding how the social brain is uniquely associated with sociocentric measures derived from a global network.

scholarly journals Orbital prefrontal cortex volume predicts social network size: an imaging study of individual differences in humans

2012 ◽  
Vol 279 (1736) ◽  
pp. 2157-2162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Powell ◽  
Penelope A. Lewis ◽  
Neil Roberts ◽  
Marta García-Fiñana ◽  
R. I. M. Dunbar
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Imaging Study ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Images ◽  
Social Brain ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
The Social

The social brain hypothesis, an explanation for the unusually large brains of primates, posits that the size of social group typical of a species is directly related to the volume of its neocortex. To test whether this hypothesis also applies at the within-species level, we applied the Cavalieri method of stereology in conjunction with point counting on magnetic resonance images to determine the volume of prefrontal cortex (PFC) subfields, including dorsal and orbital regions. Path analysis in a sample of 40 healthy adult humans revealed a significant linear relationship between orbital (but not dorsal) PFC volume and the size of subjects' social networks that was mediated by individual intentionality (mentalizing) competences. The results support the social brain hypothesis by indicating a relationship between PFC volume and social network size that applies within species, and, more importantly, indicates that the relationship is mediated by social cognitive skills.

scholarly journals Social Networks and Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 237802312098525
Author(s):  
Balazs Kovacs ◽  
Nicholas Caplan ◽  
Samuel Grob ◽  
Marissa King
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Global Network ◽  
Network Data ◽  
Network Characteristics ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Social Network Data ◽  
Social Network Size

We utilize longitudinal social network data collected pre–COVID-19 in June 2019 and compare them with data collected in the midst of COVID in June 2020. We find significant decreases in network density and global network size following a period of profound social isolation. While there is an overall increase in loneliness during this era, certain social network characteristics of individuals are associated with smaller increases in loneliness. Specifically, we find that people with fewer than five “very close” relationships report increases in loneliness. We further find that face-to-face interactions, as well as the duration and frequency of interactions with very close ties, are associated with smaller increases in loneliness during the pandemic. We also report on factors that do not moderate the effect of social isolation on perceived loneliness, such as gender, age, or overall social network size.

scholarly journals Associations Between Social Support, Social Networks, and Financial Exploitation in Older Adults

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 990-1011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott R. Beach ◽  
Richard Schulz ◽  
Rodlescia Sneed
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
Financial Exploitation ◽  
The Social

Social support and social networks are important correlates of elder mistreatment. This study tests hypothesized associations between perceived social support, social network size, and financial exploitation (FE). A population-based survey of 903 older adults (60+) in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) found that lower perceived social support and larger social networks were simultaneously associated with higher risk for FE since age 60, controlling for known risk factors. The same associations were found for FE in the last 6 months. Older adults with larger social networks combined with lower perceived social support were most likely to report FE. When it comes to the role of social relationships and risk for FE, “more may not always be better.” Encouragement to widen the social network by “making new friends” should be stressed less than making sure these new network members will truly be supportive of the older adult.

scholarly journals Extraversion is associated with advice network size, but not network density or emotional closeness to network members

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Connor Malcolm ◽  
Tamsin Saxton ◽  
Kris McCarty ◽  
Sam G. B. Roberts ◽  
Thomas Victor Pollet
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Network Density ◽  
Friendship Networks ◽  
Social Self ◽  
Emotional Closeness ◽  
Personality Variables ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
The Social ◽  
Personal Wellbeing

Friendship networks are instrumental to a whole range of outcomes including career success and personal wellbeing, and as such it is important to ask how social networks are shaped by personality variables. However, previous research examining how extraversion is associated with social network size and closeness to social network members has produced inconsistent findings. Here, we assessed how extraversion (HEXACO model) was associated with three key features of advice networks (size, density, and emotional closeness to network members) in a sample of 199 participants (17 - 75 years, M = 25, SD = 11; 146 women). We found that higher levels of extraversion (and its four facets: social self-esteem, social boldness, sociability, and liveliness) corresponded to a significantly larger advice network, but not greater network density, or greater emotional closeness to network members. The social manifestation of extraversion here seems to be operationalised in terms of a greater number of interactive advice partners, but no increased probability of ensuring that contacts are connected to each other, or of developing emotionally deep relationships with contacts.

scholarly journals Social cognition on the Internet: testing constraints on social network size

2012 ◽  
Vol 367 (1599) ◽  
pp. 2192-2201 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. I. M. Dunbar
Keyword(s):  
Digital Media ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Brain Size ◽  
Network Size ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Social Brain ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
The Social

The social brain hypothesis (an explanation for the evolution of brain size in primates) predicts that humans typically cannot maintain more than 150 relationships at any one time. The constraint is partly cognitive (ultimately determined by some aspect of brain volume) and partly one of time. Friendships (but not necessarily kin relationships) are maintained by investing time in them, and failure to do so results in an inexorable deterioration in the quality of a relationship. The Internet, and in particular the rise of social networking sites (SNSs), raises the possibility that digital media might allow us to circumvent some or all of these constraints. This allows us to test the importance of these constraints in limiting human sociality. Although the recency of SNSs means that there have been relatively few studies, those that are available suggest that, in general, the ability to broadcast to many individuals at once, and the possibilities this provides in terms of continuously updating our understanding of network members’ behaviour and thoughts, do not allow larger networks to be maintained. This may be because only relatively weak quality relationships can be maintained without face-to-face interaction.

Social networks and service use among representative cases of psychosis in South London

1997 ◽  
Vol 171 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Becker ◽  
Graham Thornicroft ◽  
Morven Leese ◽  
Paul McCrone ◽  
Sonia Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Network Characteristics ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
The Social ◽  
One Year ◽  
Prospective Controlled Study

BackgroundLarge social networks in patients with severe mental illness have been reported to be associated with a low rate of hospitalisation. We aim to determine whether social network size is related to the likelihood of hospitalisation and the amount of service use.MethodAs part of a prospective controlled study, baseline interview data for a random sample of one-year prevalent cases with non-organic psychosis were analysed with respect to social network characteristics and service use during a six-month period.ResultsThe likelihood of hospitalisation decreased with an increase in network size, while the number of services used by patients grew as the social network size increased.ConclusionsWhile larger social networks may be associated with a lower likelihood of hospitalisation, they may also be related to wider use of non-hospital services.

scholarly journals Novel Influence Maximization Algorithm for Social Network Behavior Management

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-68
Author(s):  
Sivaganesan D
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Behavior ◽  
Social Action ◽  
Behavior Management ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Influence Maximization ◽  
Interactive Behavior ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
The Social

The users largely contributing towards product adoption or information utilization in social networks are identified by the process of influence maximization. The exponential growth in social networks imposes several challenges in the analyses of these networks. Important has been given to modeling structural properties while the relationship between users and their social behavior has being ignored in the existing literature. With respect to the social behavior, the influence maximization task has been parallelized in this paper. In order to maximize the influence in social networks, an interest based algorithm with parallel social action has been proposed. This is algorithm enables identifying influential users in social network. The interactive behavior of the user is weighted dynamically as social actions along with the interests of the users. These two semantic metrics are used in the proposed algorithm. An optimal influential nodes set is computed by implementing the machines with CPU architecture with perfect parallelism through community structure. This helps in reducing the execution time and overcoming the real-word social network size challenges. When compared to the existing schemes, the proposed algorithm offers improved efficiency in the calculation speed on real world networks.

scholarly journals The effect of social network on the physical activity—cognitive function nexus in late life

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 713-722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Howard Litwin ◽  
Avital Shaul
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Cognitive Functioning ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Vigorous Physical Activity ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Interaction Terms ◽  
Social Network Size

ABSTRACTBackground:To examine the contribution of vigorous physical activity to subsequent cognitive functioning, taking into account the effect of social network.Methods:The sample included respondents aged 65 years and older who participated in both the fourth and sixth waves of Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (n = 17,104). Cognitive functioning in Wave 6, measured as the average of standardized scores for recall, fluency, and numeracy, was regressed on the extent of vigorous physical activity, social network size, and several confounders in Wave 4 (including the corresponding cognition score at baseline). Interaction terms for physical activity and network size were also considered.Results:Moderate and high levels of vigorous physical activity, as well as social network size, were related to the cognition outcome after controlling for the confounders. Introduction of the interaction terms showed a direct and positive association of both moderate and high physical activity with the cognition outcome scores as social network size increased. However, among respondents in small- (0–1 members) and moderate-sized networks (2–3 members), greater physical activity was unrelated to the cognition score at follow-up. Only the interaction of high social connectedness (4–7 network members) and vigorous physical activity was significant.Conclusions:Vigorous physical activity is, indeed, related to subsequent cognitive functioning. However, the relationship is tempered by social network size. Therefore, interventions that increase both social connectedness and physical activity, especially among older people who are isolated and sedentary, are warranted.

scholarly journals Social relationships, living arrangements and loneliness

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Schmitz ◽  
S. Mauritz ◽  
M. Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Oldest Old ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Network Size ◽  
The Social

Abstract Background Oldest-old people are expected to be particularly likely to experience loneliness due to the loss of their intimate partner or of same-aged social network members. It is assumed that individuals in different living arrangements maintain different kinds of social networks because they adjust their networks to their specific needs. However, not much is known about the variation in the social networks of the oldest-old depending on their living arrangements and how this variation is related to loneliness. This is the first study that seeks to fill this research gap by examining how the composition and the size of a social network varies among the oldest-old depending on their living arrangements with a partner (coresidential partnership, living apart together (LAT) partnership, no partnership), and how this variation contributes to explain loneliness among the oldest-old. Methods We used cross-sectional data from the representative survey NRW80+ (Quality of Life and Well-Being of the Very Old in North-Rhine Westphalia). The sample of analysis used in this study consists of 1860 respondents from the German state of North-Rhine Westphalia aged 80 years and older. Associations between social network characteristics and living arrangements were tested using χ2-tests and one-way ANOVA. Ordered logit models were used to explain loneliness. Results Respondents in a coresidential partnership maintained larger social networks than those in an LAT partnership and those with no intimate partner. Furthermore, the respondents with no partner maintained more diverse social networks. Compared to those in the other living arrangements, the respondents in an LAT partnership maintained the smallest and least diverse social networks. Being in a coresidential partnership and the social network size were found to be negatively associated with loneliness. Conclusion First, the results indicate that respondents who do not have a partner adjusted their social networks to meet their needs in the absence of this relationship. Second, we conclude that being in a coresidential partnership and having a large social network protects the oldest-old against loneliness.

Extraverts Have Larger Social Network Layers

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas V. Pollet ◽  
Sam G. B. Roberts ◽  
Robin I. M. Dunbar
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Outer Layer ◽  
Network Size ◽  
Emotional Intensity ◽  
Emotional Closeness ◽  
Network Layer ◽  
Network Layers ◽  
Social Network Size

Previous studies showed that extraversion influences social network size. However, it is unclear how extraversion affects the size of different layers of the network, and how extraversion relates to the emotional intensity of social relationships. We examined the relationships between extraversion, network size, and emotional closeness for 117 individuals. The results demonstrated that extraverts had larger networks at every layer (support clique, sympathy group, outer layer). The results were robust and were not attributable to potential confounds such as sex, though they were modest in size (raw correlations between extraversion and size of network layer, .20 < r < .23). However, extraverts were not emotionally closer to individuals in their network, even after controlling for network size. These results highlight the importance of considering not just social network size in relation to personality, but also the quality of relationships with network members.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document