Social Network Correlates of Avowed Happiness

Measures of five social network dimensions, developed on the basis of factor analysis, were given to a sample of Seattle area women. Significant correlations were obtained between the women's avowed happiness and the social network dimensions of assistance, value similarity, and concern. However, the pattern of correlations differed for married and unmarried women. As a possible explanation for this difference, it is suggested that the presence of a stable conjugal relationship may make assistance and concern less problematic for a person, while making value similarity more problematic. It is pointed out that development of detailed knowledge regarding relationships between social network properties and psychological characteristics offers considerable benefits for psychotherapy—particularly those therapies which attempt to aid a distressed person by helping him to restructure his social network. Additional research of a longitudinal nature is needed in order to elucidate the precise nature of social network—psychological state relationships.