A Theory of Instrumental Social Networks
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 2983243 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Richard A Thompson (0000-0002-2679-9418, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1973 |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 244-265 |
| Publication date | 1973-12-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Anthropological Research (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0091-7710 • E-ISSN: 2153-3806 |
| Publisher | University of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1086/jar.29.4.3629877 |
| OpenAlex | W2323403786 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 12 |
Network theory, although well advanced as a conceptual and methodological tool for structural analysis, has not yet attained a commensurate level of sophistication in the specification of the functional components of social networks. The present paper is devoted to the formulation of a theory of one functional aspect of ego-centered networks, with special reference to Latin American social systems. It is suggested that, particularly under conditions of substantial economic change, such networks may function as important instrumental elements of individual social mobility. The theory is submitted to a limited empirical test on materials from a small urban community in Latin America and is found to provide a useful explanatory framework. When assessed for its broader sociocultural implications, it is also shown to be a special theory of social change, having utility for the analysis of changing patterns in the distribution of socioeconomic resources and social power in developing societies
Economic growth · Economics · Epistemology · Explanatory power · Latin Americans · Network theory · Political science · Population · Positive economics · Social change · Social network (sociolinguistics) · Social science · Social theory · Sociocultural evolution · Socioeconomic status · Sociology · Sophistication · Complex Network Analysis Techniques · Computer Science · Mathematics · Opinion Dynamics and Social Influence · Social Capital and Networks
Who shall survive?
Principles of topological psychology.
Interaction process analysis
The Social Psychology of Groups
The psychology of interpersonal relations.
A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance
A Theory of Social Comparison Processes
Deviation, rejection, and communication
The Asymmetrical Implications of Godparenthood in Tlayacapan, Morelos
Brazilian Careers and Social Structure
Structural Statistics and Structural Mechanics
Stochastics and Structure
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,08 |
| Citation span | 1975 - 2014 (40) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |