The “sociotype” construct: Gauging the structure and dynamics of human sociality
Resumen: Exploring the pertinence of a "sociotype" construct, established along the conceptual chain genotype-phenotype-sociotype, is the essential purpose of the present paper. Further, by following the sociotype’s conceptual guidelines, a new psychometric indicator has been developed in order to gauge the level of social interaction around each individual—the sociotype questionnaire (SOCQ). A first version of this questionnaire has been elaborated by gathering data about the different classes of social bonds (family, friends, acquaintances, and work/study colleagues) in general population and about the dynamic update of these bonds via face-to-face conversation and other modes of interaction. A specific fieldwork was undertaken, involving 1, 075 participants, all of them Spanish adults (with diverse social and regional backgrounds). The data obtained were analyzed by means of the correlational method with an analytical cross-sectional design: the number of factors and the consistency and reliability of the resulting scales were evaluated and correlated. The new sociotype indicator resulting from that fieldwork, in spite of its limitations, seems to be valid and reliable, as well as closely associated with widely used metrics of loneliness and psychological distress. It is interesting that the construct noticeably varies throughout the life course and circumstances of individuals, based on their gender and age, and adjusting to the different situations of social networking. This is the first study, to the best of our knowledge, which has tried to reach both a theoretical and an operational formulation of the sociotype construct, by establishing an ad hoc psychometric questionnaire. We think that the information provided by this operational definition opens a new direction of work that could be useful to guide the development and evaluation of programs aimed at improving and strengthening social networking in people at risk, especially for the elderly.
Idioma: Inglés
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189568
Año: 2017
Publicado en: PLoS ONE 12, 12 (2017), e0189568[24 pp]
ISSN: 1932-6203

Factor impacto JCR: 2.766 (2017)
Categ. JCR: MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES rank: 15 / 64 = 0.234 (2017) - Q1 - T1
Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 1.164 - Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous) (Q1) - Medicine (miscellaneous) (Q1) - Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (miscellaneous) (Q1)

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/ISCIII/PI12-01480
Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)
Área (Departamento): Area Psiquiatría (Dpto. Medicina, Psiqu. y Derm.)

Creative Commons You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.


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