The Strength of Strong Ties for Older Rural Adults: Regional Distinctions in the Relationship between Social Interaction and Subjective Well-Being

Abstract

Classic and contemporary sociological theories suggest that social interaction differs in rural and urban areas. Intimate, informal interactions (strong ties) are theorized to characterize rural areas while urban areas may possess more formal and rationalized interactions (weak ties). Aging and social support literature stresses social interaction as a predictor of health among the aged. Using data from Wave III of the Americans' Changing Lives (ACL) study, this study examines the hypothesized differences between informal strong ties and formal weak ties on the subjective well-being of older adults in rural, urban, and suburban areas. Visiting with friends, neighbors, or relatives has a stronger positive effect on subjective well-being for rural older adults than urban. These findings highlight that: a) informal strong ties increase subjective well-being; and b) the effect of informal strong ties differs by region. We discuss the potential of our findings for policy and urge continued attention to regional variation in aging studies.