(1983). Research Round-Up. Connections, 6 (2) - INSNA

McINTOSH, William Alex (Soc, Texas A & M) & Peggy SHIFFLET (Soc, VPI) . 1983 . "Social support, stressand diet among the elderly ." Paper presented to the annual meeting of the American SociologicalAssociation, Detroit, September .The data show that supports facilitate healthful dietary practices while stress hinders them . Furthermore,support lessens the negative effects of stress on diets . Friendship (as compared to having a spouse,relatives or material resources) is clearly the most important direct and buffering support .McKINLAY, John (Soc, Boston) . 1980 . "Social network influences on morbid episodes and the career ofhelp seeking ." Pp . 77-107 in THE RELEVANCE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE FOR MEDICINE, ed. b y L . Eisenberg &A . Kleinman . D . ReideZ .In recent years the concept of a social network has been employed in studies seeking to explain theepidemiology of many different problems and the ways in which they are responded to -- both by theafflicted and their families, and the professional and organizations which attempt to cure or care forthem. This chapter selectively reviews some of these studies and discusses them in relation to thenotion of a help-seeking career .MENDILOW, Jonathon (Pol .Sci, Tel-Aviv) . 1982 . "Party-cluster formations in multi-party systems ."POLITICAL STUDIES 30 (4) : 485-503 .An examination of the multi-party system in Israel and to a large extent also in France during the lasttwo decades reveals the emergence of three distinct types of party clusters . These approximate to alimited extent to Kirchheimer's catch-all thesis, but reveal motives and conditions other than those hepostulated . The party clusters are distinguished as Conglomerate Blocs, Proportionally Amalgamated Partiesand Unitary Amalgamated Parties . An analysis of the party systems in at least these two countries show theconditions likely to foster the formation of such party configurations, their modes of operation, and theinternal stresses they generate .MILARDO, Robert (Maine) . "Relationship change and social networks ." SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL RESEARCH :in press .This paper reviews the literature on the social context of close relationships . Several distinct methodologieshave been employed to identify the constituency of pair member's social networks of kin and nonkin,the network of significant others and the network of individuals with whom interactions occur on a routinebasis . The relative advantages and limitations of each method are scrutinized . Then issues regardingchange in the structural and interactional attributes of social networks are examined as individualsinitiate and develop pair relationships . In particular, we review theory and research concerned withthe process of social withdrawal and the deterioration of individually centered networks, the formation ofmutual or couple-centered networks, and the effects of network interference and support on the stabilityof romantic relationships .MINTZ, Beth (Vermont) & Michael SCHWARTZ (SUNY, Stony Brook) . 1981 . "The structure of intercorporateunity in American business ." SOCIAL PROBLEMS 29 (2) :This paper examines the structure of intercorporate unity in the United States through an analysis of interlockingdirectorates . Our findings suggest that the major organizing institutions within the corporateworld are the largest New York commercial banks, themselves united by a small number of prominent insurancecompanies . These institutions lend an order to corporate affairs and maintain a loose unity among firms .Although sources of conflict remain, patterns of director interlocks emphasize the capacity for cohesionsupplied by the financial sector and suggest that mechanisms for conflict resolution reside within U .S .business .NOWAK, Peter J . (Iowa), Roy E . RICKSON (Griffith), Charles E . RAMSEY (Texas), & Willis J . GOUDY (Iowa) .1982 . "Comm&anity conflict and models of political participation ." RURAL SOCIOLOGY 47 (2) : 333-348 .This paper examines how community conflict mediates traditional explanations of political activity .Participation in political activity is usually explained by the selection or mobilization models, the formerbased on social status and the latter on associational involvement . Previous research has found littlemeaningful difference in the predictive ability of these models, but has also ignored the socioeconomiccontext of the political activity . We suggest that community conflict, a common setting for politicalactivity, affects the models differently ; increasing conflict should depress the relationship between statusand political participation but strengthen the relationship between associational ties and participation .These hypotheses were tested in a rural community during a five-year period when community conflict intensified. Results indicate that the selection model does lose predictive efficiency under intensifyingconflict, but the mobilization model also becomes less efficient, contrary to our prediction . Underestimatingthe importance of the social bond in a conflict situation is a possible explanation of the results .