Social Convoys: Studying Linked Lives in Time, Context, and Motion

Abstract

Social research is, by definition, about relationships, but most scholars study individuals. Why this methodological individualism? First, individuals are much easier (and cheaper) to survey than families, groups, networks, or organizations. Second, most methods of quantitative analysis assume independence across analytic units, discouraging research designs that incorporate connections between respondents. Third, individuals seem somehow more “permanent”; families, friendship networks, and teams change over time as members join or leave. Scholars undertaking longitudinal studies find it far easier to follow individuals, because group memberships shift with each passing year.