Patterns of Social Support Networks in Japan and Korea

Seokho Kim ] Seoul National University

Jaeun Lim ] Seoul National University

Abstract

This paper explores the patterns of social support networks in Japan and Korea by analyzing social well-being data, International Comparative Survey on Lifestyle and Value (ICSLV),

collected by Senshu University and Seoul National University. The social network analysis

(SNA) is employed to expose the entire picture of social support network in two countries.

Then, we attempt to classify sources of social support by using latent class analysis. The latent class analysis (LCA) makes it possible to understand what types of social support people are receiving or lacking in their daily lives. We also investigate the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and patterns of social support networks by applying multinomial logistic regression. We expect that these analyses expose how different and similar the patterns of social support networks are and what their determinants are in Japan and Korea. The results are as below. First, based on the degree centrality of all support sources in Japan and Korea, we found that family, close friends, and relatives have the greatest degree centrality within networks. Political parties and politicians are regarded as being least supportive in two countries. While the degree centrality of local groups is as high as other sources of social support in Japan, it is the second lowest in Korea. Second, judging from the results of entire network pictures, in Japan and Korea, family, friends, and relatives are located at the center of the networks. Political parties and politicians are found on the periphery in both countries. Japanese respondents tend to rely on public institutions and personal relationships simultaneously when they are in trouble, whereas Korean respondents likely ask help to fewer sources of support. Third, by using latent class analysis, we found that there exist the 4 latent classes (full social support, moderate social support, locally centered social support, lack of social support) for Japan and the 3 latent classes

(full social support, moderate social support, lack of social support) for Korea. Lastly, socioeconomic status is closely associated with the existence of social support from various sources in Japan and Korea, so called stratification of social support.

Keywords

social support, social support network, source of social support, East Asia, Japan and Korea

The Senshu Social Well-being Review 2017, No. 4, 3-19 http://ir.acc.senshu-u.ac.jp