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The characteristics of social contact intensity, contact frequency and contact structure in Hungary in 2006 and 2015
102-138Views:21The study aims at comparing the Hungarian results of the questions on the frequency of personal and distance contact with relatives and friends in the 2006 and 2015 ad hoc modules of EU-SILC. According to our results, in line with the findings of previous Hungarian research, compared to 2006, there were fewer contacts in Hungary in 2015. Relations with friends, especially those held in person, were less exposed to weakening compared to relations with relatives. Among the different social groups, the already disadvantaged were typically negatively affected by either the change in intensity or the structure of relationships. However, the situation of the elderly and the inhabitants of deprived households deteriorated in all three dimensions examined: their relations weakened more strongly, and those related to relatives and personal ones further narrowed by 2015. This result indicates that the social disintegration of these groups has accelerated particularly between the two years, which poses a serious social policy challenge.
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Alone together? Shared space, time, and solidarity in commuter relationships
72-87Views:16Long-distance relationships have always existed, however, as a result of globalization, modern
communication technology, as well as widespread travel opportunities, their number has
increased. This study focuses on commuter relationships, that is, those couples that only see
each other during the weekend or in every few weeks due to working far from their home. 24
interviews were conducted with commuter couples in small towns and villages. A key research
question involved satisfaction levels among interviewees. Dissatisfaction with their relationship
was relatively rare, except some women complained about increased household tasks. Daily
communication and modern communication technology had an immense role in boosting
satisfaction levels. Technology has also contributed to the creation of shared space and time
among commuter couples. Regular communication, special dates, and shared plans for the
future also raised relationship solidarity. To survive time apart and make time spent together
more special timework was used, which was done together for the purpose of influencing the
subconscious and subjective sense of time. -
In the thick of relationships? Personal and distance relationships with relatives and friends in Hungary in 2015
65-101Views:35The study presents the structure and intensity of the relationships of the Hungarian population over 16 years of age through a descriptive analysis of four variables measuring the frequency of personal and distance contact with relatives and friends from the EU-SILC 2015 survey. According to the data, the relationship structure is on average balanced, half of the relationships are related to relatives or friends, and the relative proportions of personal and long-distance relationships are similar. According to our results, in addition to age, the financial situation of the household has a significant correlation with the characteristics of the relationship structure. One of the lessons of multivariate regression models is that the effect of other background variables on the relationship structure intensifies in parallel with aging, leading to a deepening of relationship inequalities among the elderly. Another lesson of the models is that the inclusion of household characteristics (financial situation, number of household members, material transfer relationship with other households) has a significant effect on the mechanism of individual background variables, thus confirming that a deeper study of relationship intensity and relationship structure within the household is essential. At the end of our analysis, we compiled clusters based on the intensity of relationships, the direction of relationships, and the channel of contacting, with a relative majority of more than one-third of the respondents with extremely weak relationship embeddedness.
