Abstract

GUADALUPE, Sónia; TESTA VICENTE, Henrique  and  DANIEL, Fernanda. The relational galaxy in old age according to sex and age: contraction and genderization of the network in question. Andamios [online]. 2020, vol.17, n.42, pp.387-406.  Epub Aug 28, 2020. ISSN 2594-1917.  https://doi.org/10.29092/uacm.v17i42.748.

To analyze the characteristics of personal social networks of the elderly according to sex and age. Participants: 612 elderly (386 women and 226 men) between 65 and 98 years old. Results: The interaction between age groups (young-old, middle-old and old-old) and sex was not statistically significant for the network. However, there are main effects to the structural, functional and relational-contextual according to age groups (p <0.05): young-old have less institutional relationships, less density and durability; more relational fields, access to new contacts and reciprocity; and greater geographical dispersion. Conclusions: The low differentiation of the networks according to age and sex questions the hypothesis of the network contraction with aging, highlighting the interest of unveiling its dynamics in old age.

Keywords : Personal social networks; age; sex; old age; aging.