Principles relating social regard to size and density of personal networks, with applications to stigma

Shared social evaluations (social regard) of individuals can have important consequences for those individuals. This paper presents basic principles relating social regard to the size and density of individuals' networks. We suggest that more positive regard tends to be accompanied by positive interaction that encourages more social interaction. Thus, positive social regard is associated with larger personal networks. We then suggest that interaction among alters exacerbates effects of social regard, such that positive regard by a dense set of alters especially encourages interaction with that set. Consequently, positive regard is associated with denser networks. We present empirical support for our predictions and consider implications especially for stigmatized individuals, the objects of negative regard. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.