A set of instruments was developed to study children's social networks. Mothers and their preschool-age children were interviewed with regard to (1) the composition of each child's social network and (2) the performance of support functions by network members. To determine the reliability of measures, a pilot sample of mothers and children was…

This document reports results from an exploratory investigation into the adoption and use of microcomputers in the home, which involved interviews with 77 home computer owners, 19 individuals who were in the process of computer adoption, and a small sample of home computer manufacturers and retailers. The first two chapters provide information on…

A strong case can be made that the study of law, properly conceived as a resource to enrich civics as a branch of social science, is the broader study of the role of law in the social order. Study about law provides a unique opportunity for: (1) addressing what has historically been a neglected, pervasive daily influence on us all; (2) analyzing…

Although research has examined influence of social ties on health and well-being, it has not clearly identified the characteristics of social support networks that facilitate coping and mediate responses to stress. This study was conducted to determine whether individual differences in social support networks would discriminate between individuals…

This is the first of a four-part study, funded by the National Institute of Education for the purpose of examining the function of informal social networks in school community relations in Pontiac, Michigan, from 1971 to 1981. This volume of the report (1) discusses the theoretical foundations of the study; (2) defends the validity of network…

Since 1972 ,when the city of Miami Beach, Florida initiated redevelopment plans for South Miami Beach, the elderly residents have been besieged by a series of events beyond their control that have left them at risk emotionally and physically. To examine the relative impact of health, personal control, and social support as predictors of affect and…

Studied 155 elderly residents of inner-city single-room occupancy hotels. At 3-year follow-up, 28 had died. Ten of 19 network variables were relatively strong discriminators between survivors and non-survivors. Network variables cut across all categories of social interaction. (Author/KS)

Compared the family, leisure, and social activities of residents (N=2,271) of public institutions and community residential facilities for mentally retarded persons. Results indicated that residents had relatively few individualized social or leisure activities--most residents had no friends and many had no familiy contacts. (Author/LLL)

Considers five significant roles of the information professional in the information society--information resources management, information counseling, research utilization, social networking, and public information dissemination. The emergence of these roles and current education and training are reviewed with a view to providing observations…

This guide promotes the use of natural supports to assist individuals with severe disabilities. The first two sections review the development of natural supports in the workplace, including changes in perspectives on the role of persons with disabilities, utilization issues, and the definition of natural supports. A seven-step process reflecting…

Conventional notions of leadership have focused on the leader alone rather than on the situation that leaders must enable. The common threads to successful rural community development in Australia over the last few decades lie in the way the community develops its stores of social capital, which is based on trust, shared values, networks, and…

Recent government initiatives to combat social exclusion within the United Kingdom have served to place librarians and libraries as prominent players in the movement to providing information over a wider social context. For example, The Peoples Network is a government initiative to connect all public libraries to the information superhighway by…

Examines the changes that occur in the social networks and activities of individuals as a result of divorce. An integrative review of the available research concerning the social situation of divorced persons, five metapolicy guidelines, and examples of policy implementations relating to divorced persons are presented. (JAC)

Presents a microanalysis of data from the Box Hill Nursery Project, an ethnolinguistic study carried out in the northeast of England, into children's language and social behavior during their first term in nursery school. Identifies characteristics of dense friendship networks. Concludes that understanding friendship networks can help teachers in…

Social development of students with disabilities is examined from a developmental synthesis perspective. Issues in the social skills deficit framework are also discussed, along with formation of classroom social networks and their role in behavior development. Social interventions should focus on both the classroom social network and the…