The Effects of Mobility on Neighbourhood Social Ties

Abstract

This research examines the strength of people's ties with close neighbours
and the sensitivity thereof to changes in residential mobility, access to
modes of public and private transport, and changes in the availability of
modern communications technologies using the German Socio-economic
Panel Study (SOEP). All forms of mobility have increased over time and are
negatively associated with visiting neighbours. With further increases in
mobility, close neighbours may become less relevant. Nevertheless,
presently the incidence of visits with neighbours is sizeable; in contrast to
the frequent assertion in the literature that the neighbourhood is of no
importance.