70
ence of kin, are also permeable to non-kin at an average level. The over-
arching importance of kin is thus transversal to the three countries,
refuting the idea of a widespread decline of family ties as a result of indi-
vidualization trends. However, the level of openness of personal relation-
ships towards the inclusion of non-kin is undoubtedly dissimilar, pointing
to a different prioritization of ties and criteria of relational proximity
across the countries. Therefore, we have to go beyond the divide of kin
versus non-kin to better understand the diversity of ties within personal
networks in each country.
Specific Types of Tie
Are all kinds of kinship ties equally represented? Which non-kin ties are
more likely to be included in personal networks? Table 3.2 shows the
specific types of ties cited by respondents in the three countries. For this
purpose, we calculated the percentage of respondents who mentioned at
least one alter of each category of tie (the average number of alters in each
category will be analysed in detail in Chap. 5 ).
In the total sample, partner is the category more frequently cited along
with children. In Portugal there is an overrepresentation of individuals
who cited the partner (76.7%) compared with Lithuania (67.8%). In
Switzerland, fewer individuals mentioned daughters (32.5% compared
to 43.3% in the total sample) and sons (31.8% compared to 42.7% in
the total sample). Actually, in Portugal the percentage of respondents
who cited a daughter (49.1%) is significantly higher than in Switzerland
(32.5%) and Lithuania (45.3%). Partner and children or, in other words,
members of the family of procreation prevail in the composition of per-
sonal networks across the three countries. This means that the members
of the nuclear family still occupy a core place in the structure of personal
networks (see Chap. 5 ). The slight overrepresentation of daughters in
Portuguese networks might be related to the role of adult daughters as
primary caregivers. Instead, the weaker presence of both sons and
daughters in Switzerland might be related to a low centredness on chil-
dren, as well as to a postponement of parenthood calendars in this
country.
R. Gouveia et al.