The Stability and Dynamics of Social Relationships: An Analysis of Factors of Influence on Changes in Ego-Centered Networks

Abstract

This paper investigates the stability and dynamics of social relationships in an attempt to ascertain the conditions under which relationships are stable and the factors that bring about changes. The analysis employs the data of 13,530 participants in the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) representative assessments of 2011 and 2016. In order to explain stability and dynamics in the relationships, we took particular account of the social contexts and types of relationships, changes in everyday life and support needs, as well as the respondents‟ age and gender. By means of logistic regression, we correlated the information given by the respondents and alters on a time axis. A high level of stability was shown in the namings which, however, are only putatively indicative of stable relationship networks. Rather, they appear to reflect the outcomes of efforts on the part of the respondents to maintain their individual “network signatures”. Moreover, the network dynamics result from the combination of personal characteristics, such as age, gender, family status, social and normative contexts, as well as single, crucial, individual life events.