Extending Families

"...a major contribution to the empirical and theoretical work on social networks. Any researcher interested in the intersection of families, children, and social networks should read it." Contemporary Sociology

• Foreword U. Bronfenbrenner; Preface; Part I. Ideas and Themes: 1. Personal networks in the ecology of human development M. Cochran; Part II. Settings, Methods and Illustrations: 2. Settings and methods D. Riley et al; 3. The social networks interview L. Gunnarsson; 4. Descriptive illustrations M. Cochran and C. R. Henderson, Jr; Part III. The Influences of Race, Class and Culture: 5. Social networks, race and ethnicity W. E. Cross, Jr; 6. The social networks of married mothers in four cultures M. Cochran et al; 7. The social support networks of single parents: Sweden and the United States M. Cochran and L. Gunnarsson; Part IV. Impacts on Perceptions and Performance: 8. Network influences upon perception of the child: solo parenting and social support M. Cochran and C. R. Henderson, Jr; 9. Network influences on father involvement in childrearing D. Riley; 10. The social networks of six-year-olds: context, content and consequence M. Cochran and D. Riley; Part V. Changes in Networks Over Time: 11. Changes in network resources and relationships over time M. Larner; 12. Local residential mobility and its effects on social networks: a cross-cultural comparison M. Larner; 13. Formal supports and informal social ties: a case study M. Cochran and C. R. Henderson, Jr; Part VI. Social Networks and Human Development: 14. The network as an environment for human development M. Cochran; 15. Environmental factors constraining network development M. Cochran; 16. Factors influencing personal social initiative M. Cochran; 17. Personal networks and public policy M. Cochran; Appendix 1. The social network interviews; Endnotes; References.