Changes in Core Discussion Networks over Two Decades [pdf]
http://www.asanet.org/galleries/default-file/June06ASRFeature.pdf
Who could you count on in an emergency? Do you have a network of people to talk with about relationships, family issues, and the like?
These are some of the thorny questions that some sociologists consider of the utmost importance when peering into the heart of contemporary society. According to this study, released in June 2006, Americans’ circle of close friends has shrunk rather dramatically, leaving many to wonder why this might be the case.
Researched and written by sociologists at Duke University and the University of Arizona, this provocative 23-page report compares data from 1985 and 2004 in an attempt to determine the depth and extent of social contact across a cross-section of American society.
While visitors will want to read the report in its entirety, one finding is particularly troubling: the number of people who said they had no one with whom to discuss important matters doubled to nearly 25 percent from 1985 to 2004.
via Internet Scout Project