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Social Connectedness and Health

Encyclopedia of Geropsychology

Synonyms

Social capital; Social integration; Social networks; Social participation; Social support

Definitions

The above synonyms are often used interchangeably to imply social connectedness, but they do not fully capture the breadth of the construct. Social network refers to the structure of relationships and their interconnections. Social support is typically derived from social relationships and is broadly defined as the care that is either provided or perceived to be readily available in times of need. These are all interrelated concepts. For instance, you are more likely to receive social support from those with whom you are socially networked. Other synonyms, notably social integration and social capital, while intended to capture wider dimensions of connectedness, can be vague and are often used inconsistently. Social integration encompasses the behavioral (or participatory) and cognitive (a sense of belongingness) elements of social relationships. Social capital is typically...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Catherine Haslam, Tegan Cruwys, S. Alexander Haslam & Jolanda Jetten

Authors
  1. Catherine Haslam
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  2. Tegan Cruwys
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  3. S. Alexander Haslam
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  4. Jolanda Jetten
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Correspondence to Catherine Haslam .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Nancy A. Pachana

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Haslam, C., Cruwys, T., Haslam, S.A., Jetten, J. (2015). Social Connectedness and Health. In: Pachana, N. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geropsychology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-080-3_46-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-080-3_46-1

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Social Connectedness and Health
    Published:
    26 October 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-080-3_46-2

  2. Original

    Social Connectedness and Health
    Published:
    20 June 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-080-3_46-1

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