Neighborhood Change and Neighboring Social Ties

• In Event: 189 - Section on Community and Urban Sociology Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 07. Neighborhood Attachment, Social Cohesion and Social Capital

Abstract

This study investigates how individual and neighborhood characteristics influence social ties to neighbors. Drawing on data from two cross-sectional surveys conducted ten years apart in the city of Seattle, Washington, we seek to answer the following questions: Are social ties between neighbors shaped by individual as well as neighborhood characteristics, and which particular characteristics drive this relationship? Additionally, does neighborhood change influence individual ties net of these other factors? The results from our analysis show that several individual and neighborhood characteristics consistently affect social ties between neighbors. In addition, we find that measures of change--specifically a decrease in the proportion of black residents in a given neighborhood--influence social ties in a meaningful way. Our study adds to the body of knowledge on social ties by taking a novel approach to the topic and including measures of neighborhood change in our analysis. We conclude by discussing the theoretical implications of our results and offering potential avenues for future research.

Authors

• Savannah Larimore, University of Washington

• Christian Lawrence Hess, University of Washington

• Marco Brydolf-Horwitz, University of Washington