A recent study published in Psychological Science has found that people with diverse social networks, comprising both similar and different individuals, tend to report higher social cohesion in their neighborhoods and, in turn, higher levels of well-being. The findings suggest that while people naturally tend to form bonds with those who are similar to them, integrating more diverse social networks yields significant social and personal benefits.
Previous research has shown that contact with people from various groups can reduce prejudice and enhance social outcomes. However, debates persist, with some arguing that diversity might reduce trust and social cohesion. This study aimed to clarify these conflicting views by exploring how the composition of one’s social network — specifically the balance between similar (homophilous) and different (heterophilous) friends — affects perceived social cohesion and subjective well-being.
“In my research, I study the effects of diversity (e.g., the ethnic or religious diversity of a location), and it is fascinating to observe that even when some locations become more diverse, people in these locations still report very low levels of mixing,” said study author Miguel R. Ramos, an associate professor at the University of Birmingham.
“In some of my work, I’ve found that it takes a few years, but with time, individuals from different backgrounds start to have contact and make friends. I became very interested in this initial period in which people coexist in the same space but have no contact, and I was particularly interested in homophily and its consequences. Homophily is the human tendency to gravitate toward people who share the same background and this was the key focus of this study.”
The researchers used data from Understanding Society – the United Kingdom Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS), which has surveyed around 40,000 households since 2009. This nationally representative survey includes detailed information on demographics, socioeconomic status, health, social life, and attitudes. The study focused on data from two waves, collected between 2011-2013 and 2014-2016, specifically analyzing responses from 24,726 individuals in 10,398 English neighborhoods.
The study examined four types of social network homophily: race, age, income, and education. Respondents were asked to report the proportion of their friends who were similar to them in each of these aspects. Social cohesion was measured using a neighborhood cohesion instrument, which assessed individuals’ sense of community, attraction to their neighborhood, and interactions with neighbors.
The researchers found an inverted U-shaped relationship between network homophily and social cohesion. Initially, as the proportion of similar friends increases, social cohesion also increases, peaking at a midpoint. Beyond this point, however, further increases in similarity within social networks begin to reduce social cohesion. The inverted U-shaped pattern held true across different types of homophily (race, age, income, and education).
In other words, a moderate level of homophily — where social networks include a balanced mix of similar and different individuals — appears to promote the greatest sense of community and connection among neighbors. This social cohesion, in turn, is strongly associated with increased overall life satisfaction and better mental health.
“Human beings have the tendency to gravitate toward people with a similar background (e.g., same ethnicity or same age) and this principle guides most of our relationships including those formed through friendship and marriage,” Ramos told PsyPost. “However, our research highlights the importance of counteracting these tendencies, by showing that diverse friendship networks promote social cohesion and well-being.”
“These results underscore the key role of embracing diversity in promoting stronger social bonds and enhancing overall societal cohesion. While interacting with people with the same characteristics may offer a sense of familiarity and comfort, our study suggests that embracing diversity is crucial for fostering resilience and adaptability in an ever-changing world.”
While the study provides valuable insights, it also has limitations. For one, the study’s cross-sectional design limits its ability to infer causality. Longitudinal data, tracking changes over time, would provide stronger evidence of the causal relationships between network composition, social cohesion, and well-being.
In addition, the study focused on English neighborhoods, so the findings may not be directly generalizable to other contexts. Future research should explore these dynamics in different cultural and geographical settings to validate and extend the results.
The study, “Variety Is the Spice of Life: Diverse Social Networks Are Associated With Social Cohesion and Well-Being,” was authored by Miguel R. Ramos, Danying Li, Matthew R. Bennett, Unaysah Mogra, Douglas S. Massey, and Miles Hewstone.