Social Structural Determinants of Similarity among Associates

Abstract

This paper shows how the social structuring of activity leads people to develop relationships with others who are similar to themselves. Most relationships originate in foci of activity that bring together disproportionately homogeneous sets of people. The more homogeneous these sets of people are, the more relationships tend to be with similar others. A sample survey and a study offriendships in one large factory illustrate the importance of the social structuring of activity for age similarity. It is suggested that the neglect of structuralfactors has led to the overestimation of the extent to which people prefer to associate with similar others.

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