Voluntary Associations and Social Networks in Ten Towns in Nebraska

This combined panel and cross-sectional study consists of two waves of data on individuals, memberships, and organizations collected in 1983 and 1989. In 1983, the individuals were selected from ten towns in the state of Nebraska. In 1989, a sub-sample of individuals was followed up from the 1983 study and a new sample of individuals was drawn from each of the ten towns. In both 1983 and 1989, individuals identified a set of voluntary organizations to which they belonged. A probability sample of those organizations formed the basis for the study of the leaders of those organizations and for canvasses of members physically present at organization meetings. The study also included some information on ego networks of the original members, the leaders, and the canvassed members of the organizations. The individual respondents in 1989 provided information on the timing of childbearing, work history, geographic moves, and joining and leaving voluntary associations through the use of the life history calendar approach.

Principal investigator: J. Miller McPherson, University of Arizona and Duke University

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