The “sociotype” construct: Gauging the structure and dynamics of human sociality

Exploring the pertinence of a "sociotype" construct, established along the conceptual chain genotype-phenotype-sociotype, is the essential purpose of the present paper. Further, by following the sociotype’s conceptual guidelines, a new psychometric indicator has been developed in order to gauge the level of social interaction around each individual—the sociotype questionnaire (SOCQ). A first version of this questionnaire has been elaborated by gathering data about the different classes of social bonds (family, friends, acquaintances, and work/study colleagues) in general population and about the dynamic update of these bonds via face-to-face conversation and other modes of interaction. A specific fieldwork was undertaken, involving 1,075 participants, all of them Spanish adults (with diverse social and regional backgrounds). The data obtained were analyzed by means of the correlational method with an analytical cross-sectional design: the number of factors and the consistency and reliability of the resulting scales were evaluated and correlated. The new sociotype indicator resulting from that fieldwork, in spite of its limitations, seems to be valid and reliable, as well as closely associated with widely used metrics of loneliness and psychological distress. It is interesting that the construct noticeably varies throughout the life course and circumstances of individuals, based on their gender and age, and adjusting to the different situations of social networking. This is the first study, to the best of our knowledge, which has tried to reach both a theoretical and an operational formulation of the sociotype construct, by establishing an ad hoc psychometric questionnaire. We think that the information provided by this operational definition opens a new direction of work that could be useful to guide the development and evaluation of programs aimed at improving and strengthening social networking in people at risk, especially for the elderly.本研究的核心宗旨，在于探究基于基因型-表型-社会型（genotype-phenotype-sociotype）概念链条所构建的“社会型（sociotype）”构念的适用性。进一步地，本研究遵循社会型的概念框架，开发了一款全新的心理测量指标，用以衡量个体周遭的社会互动水平——即社会型问卷（sociotype questionnaire, SOCQ）。该问卷的初始版本通过采集普通人群中各类社会联结（家庭、朋友、熟人、工作/学习同事）的相关数据，以及个体通过面对面交谈与其他互动方式实现的社会联结动态更新信息编制完成。本次研究开展了专项田野调查，共招募1075名西班牙成年参与者，其社会背景与地域背景均呈现多样性。所获数据采用相关分析法结合横断面研究设计开展分析：对因子数量、所得量表的一致性与信度进行评估并开展相关分析。尽管存在一定局限，但本次田野调查所得的新型社会型测量指标，仍具备良好的效度与信度，且与广泛使用的孤独感及心理困扰测评指标密切相关。值得关注的是，该构念会随个体的人生历程与所处情境发生显著变化，且受性别与年龄因素影响，同时会适配不同的社会网络场景。据我们所知，本研究是首次通过编制专属心理测量问卷，尝试对社会型构念进行理论层面与操作层面的双重界定。我们认为，这一操作化定义所提供的信息，为后续研究开辟了全新方向，可用于指导针对高危人群（尤其是老年群体）的社会网络优化与强化项目的开发与评估。