《BIRDS OF A FEATHER Homophily》.pdf

Annu. Rev. Sociol. 2001. 27:415–44 c Copyright 2001 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved BIRDS OF A FEATHER: Homophily in Social Networks 1 1 Miller McPherson , Lynn Smith-Lovin , and James M Cook2 g 1 r Department of Sociology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721; o . s e-mail: mcpherson@; smithlov@ w e 2 i Department of Sociology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708; v e r e-mail: jcook@ l . a y u l n n n o a. e s s l u a n l Key Words human ecology, voluntary associations, organizations r a u n o o j s r r Abstract Similarity breeds connection. This principle—the homophily princi- a e p m r ple—structures network ties of every type, including marriage, friendship, work, o o r F f . advice, support, information transfer, exchange, comembership, and other types of re- d 6 e 0 lationship. The result is that people’s personal networks are homogeneous with regard d / a 6 o 1 to many sociodemographic, behavioral, and intrapersonal characteristics. Homophily l / n 7 w 0 limits people’s social worlds in a way that has powerful implications for the infor- o n D o 4. Y mation they receive, the attitudes they form, and the interactions they experience. 4 T Homophily