Abstract
Both homophily and heterophily are observed in humans. Homophily reinforces homogeneous social networks, and heterophily creates new experiences and collaborations. However, at the extremes, high levels of homophily can cultivate prejudice toward out-groups, whereas high levels of heterophily can weaken in-group support. Using data from 24,726 adults (M = 46 years; selected from 10,398 English neighborhoods) and the composition of their social networks based on age, ethnicity, income, and education, we tested the hypothesis that a middle ground between homophily and heterophily could be the most beneficial for individuals. We found that network homophily, mediated by perceived social cohesion, is associated with higher levels of subjective well-being but that there are diminishing returns, because at a certain point increasing network homophily is associated with lower social cohesion and, in turn, lower subjective well-being. Our results suggest that building diverse social networks provides benefits that cannot be attained by homogeneous networks.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1-16 |
Number of pages | 16 |
Journal | Psychological Science |
Early online date | 25 Apr 2024 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 25 Apr 2024 |
Bibliographical note
AcknowledgmentsThe authors would like to thank Paul Norman and his NewETHPOP project colleagues for providing invaluable data on projecting ethnic populations in England between 2001 and 2011. UKHLS is an initiative funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and various government departments, with scientific leadership by the Institute for Social and Economic Research. The research data are distributed by the UK Data Service.
Keywords
- network homophily
- social cohesion
- trust
- well-being