90
ments of procreation, individuals also include elements of the family of
origin, collaterals, and in-laws in combination with friends. The impor-
tance of the in-laws alongside grandchildren shows the permanence of
strong intergenerational relationships in Portuguese society, as parents-
in- law are important caregivers for their grandchildren. At the same time,
the opposite is also true, as children-in-law, particularly daughters-in-law,
are also important providers of care and support to their parents-in-law.
Concerning co-residency, this factor seems to play an important but sec-
ondary role. Portugal also stands out as the more heterogeneous country
regarding the different types of acquaintanceships, reinforcing again the
diversity of ties included (Table 3.9).
These cross-national differences are thus likely to be associated with
the interdependency between the historical and cultural pathways, eco-
nomical context, and welfare regimes (Ganjour and Widmer 2016 ). For
instance, in Portugal and Lithuania, the predominance of kin is associ-
ated with greater interdependency between family members in terms of
social capital, which is regulated by strong family responsibilities and
Table 3.9 Summary of the main characteristics of the composition of personal
networks, by country
Portugal Switzerland Lithuania
Network size Large Average Small
Kin salience Average to high
kin
Low kin High kin
Types of ties
(distinctive
features)
High integration
of in-laws,
parents, and
grandchildren
Average
integration of
friends
High integration of
friends, colleagues,
and ex-partners
Low integration of
extended kin
Focus on the
nuclear family
High integration
of grandchildren
Low integration
of friends
Co-residence
history
Average
importance
Low importance High importance
Gender
homophily
Cross-gender
preference
Men: cross-gender
preference
Women: same-
gender preference
Cross-gender
preference
Duration of the
relationships
Diversified Very old
acquaintanceships
Very recent
acquaintanceships
R. Gouveia et al.