EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKS ON HEALTH AND WELL-BEING IN LATER LIFE

Weighing Positive and Negative Effects of social networks on Health and Well-Being
A social network is a system of people such as friends, core workers connected by
interpersonal relationships. Individuals who are members of social networks expand their social
contacts by making connections through people. Social networks provide both favorable and
unfavorable experiences depending on the members’ consideration. These experiences directly
affect the health and well-being of individuals positively and negatively across the life span and
in later life. The members of social networks deter health-damaging behaviors by providing
companionship and facilitating one’s adaptation to life stress. However, the same members can
undermine a person’s health goals by being inconsiderate and provoking conflicts. While
developing a clear understanding of the effects of social networks on health and well-being, the
positive and negative experiences must be considered.
The social support arising from network members may enhance mood and strengthen
feelings of self-worth. The efforts by network members to avert health-damaging behavior may
also protect health (Rook, 2015). According to this research, the categories of positive social
exchanges that influence health and well-being in different ways are control, support and
companionship. The types of negative social exchanges are misdirected control, neglect and
support failure. Social support failures occur as a result of resentful help from other members
while rejection occurs when network members ignore or exclude a person from their social
activities. Misdirected control occurs as a result of network members’ interference with one’s
health goals for instance, by encouraging a member to develop an unhealthy habit such as
alcoholism. The different categories of social exchanges have distinct effects on health in later

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life. For instance, companionship may manifest stronger associations with psychological health
than social support (Rook, 2015).
Research reveals that positive social interactions frequently occur than negative
interactions because social network members who are sources of active exchanges are more than
the sources of negative interaction (Rook, 2015). Irrespective of their infrequent occurrences,
negative exchanges present strong associations with physical and psychological health and their
effects on health often outweigh those of active interaction. For instance negative as opposed to a
positive interaction may cause hypertension, chronic diseases and death due to stroke. They elicit
different negative feelings that in turn result in different health effects. The adverse effects of
negative exchanges on the health of older adults’ are not only attributed to interactions with
unpleasant members in social networks but family relationships and acquaintances as well
(Rook, 2015). Ambivalent social ties also have detrimental effects on health.
Persistent conflicts with social network members are sources of chronic stress while some
disagreements may be short-lived and are easily resolved. For instance, measures of the
prevalence of negative social interactions evaluated at two-time points over a 6-year period were
strongly correlated in a nationwide sample of older adults (Rook, 2015). High levels of negative
social interaction over a term of two years were related to worse self-rated health and more
medical conditions in another large study of older adults. Frequent negative interactions result in
a bad cortisol regulation in individuals with prolonged exposure to negative interactions. Chronic
conflicts with network members disrupt cardiovascular and immune activities. In essence,
cumulative physiological effects of continuous negative interactions adversely affect older
adults’ health.

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Stressful life circumstances disrupt self-control, prompting network members to engage
in compensatory control by exerting influence to stabilize health behaviors thus resulting in
improved health behaviors and ultimately better health outcomes. Network members also
participate in compensatory control to improve a member’s adherence to a complex treatment
regimen for chronic illnesses. Though feelings of resentment may be aroused within an
individual due to the control exerted by network members, this form of exchange is positive and
has favorable effects on the individual’s health. The support received by a person from network
members through the provision of aid and care in times of need helps a member to be more
effective in coping with various challenges and also reduces stress.
Studies on the joint effects of positive and negative social interactions yielded
inconsistent results. However, differences in individuals influence the beneficiary of positive
interactions after a conflict. Additionally, the type or amount of positive exchanges needed to
impede a distressing negative exchange may vary across different categories of social
interaction. For instance, neglect may be a more painful experience, and, therefore, harder to
counteract, than intrusive social control. An investigation of the varying factors may help to
elucidate when and why positive exchanges might offset the effects of negative interaction.
Potential joint effects of positive and negative social exchanges could also be interpreted
regarding tensions experienced with a social network member that distract from the ability to
enjoy interactions with others. Individuals with complicated family relationships often have
difficulties in obtaining pleasure from interactions with others. Additionally, interventions
crafted to help lonely older adults make new friends may fail if problematic family relationships
are not addressed first.

Running head: EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKS ON HEALTH AND WELL-BEING IN
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Some categories of positive or negative social interactions may have joint effects on the
health and well-being of old adults. For instance, social network members’ efforts to encourage a
family member to change a risky health behavior often involve a shifting mix of social support
and social control, but their joint effects are rarely studied (Rook, 2015). The support that
involves substantial tactfulness and sensitivity may maintain goodwill in the relationship but may
fail to encourage improved health behavior. The shift to confrontation or pressure (social control)
may succeed in prompting behavior change but may also arouse irritation or gradually destroy
the family member’s sense of self-efficacy (Rook, 2015). On the other hand, a prior history of
supportive, positive exchanges might make a network member’s future attempts to exert social
control more bearable and, perhaps, more efficient.
The origin of persistent negative exchanges for some older adults is current life
difficulties, such as severe financial burdens or deteriorating health which create support needs
that overwhelm the support-providing capacities of existing social network members, leading to
strained relationships. Intergenerational or societal differences in expectations for support and
companionship may trigger misunderstandings for older adults and hardship experienced early in
life may nurture attachment insecurities that create a susceptibility to troubled relationships.
Persistent negative interactions also occur due to contact with individuals who are difficult to
avoid and engage in an unpleasant behavior.
Studies aimed at age differences suggests that older adults have more fulfilling social
relationships and experience fewer interpersonal problems than younger individuals (Rook,
2015). Active exchanges have beneficial effects towards the health and well-being of old adults.
The levels of self-esteem in network members go up as a result of positive interactions amongst

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each other thus improving their mental well-being. On the other hand, negative interactions
adversely affect the health and welfare of old adults by posing serious health challenges which
often result in increased mortality rates among the elderly adults. Therefore, members and
coordinators of social networks should be at the forefront to ensure that the number of negative
interactions is minimized at all costs. Individual network members should be mindful of their
personal health and well-being and that of their fellow members and in so doing instances of
negative exchanges are ultimately eliminated.

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References

Rook, K. S. (2015). Social Networks in Later Life Weighing Positive and Negative
Effects on Health and Well-Being. Current Directions in Psychological
Science, 24(1), 45-51.
Ryan, L. H., Wan, W. H., & Smith, J. (2014). Spousal social support and strain: Impacts
on health in older couples. Journal of behavioral medicine,37(6), 1108-1117.
Krause, N., & Rook, K. S. (2003). Negative interaction in late life: Issues in the stability
and generalizability of conflict across relationships. The Journals of Gerontology
Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences,58(2), P88-P99.