J. Miller McPherson | Scholars@Duke

J. Miller McPherson
Professor Emeritus in the Department of Sociology

Most of my research focuses on voluntary groups and the social networks that draw people into and out of them. But my research agenda is more ambitious than that. I think that the general ecological theory of affiliation that I have developed shows how any social entity that spreads through networks behaves. We’ve already applied the theory to occupations, musical tastes, religious congregations, voluntary organizations and other social groups. Now I am working on applying it to fuzzier cultural entities like attitudes, beliefs and social identities. I think that the theory will explain some important things about the behavior of virtually any social characteristic.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Professor Emeritus in the Department of Sociology, Sociology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2012

Contact Information

miller.mcpherson@duke.edu

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., Vanderbilt University 1973
- B.A., University of Alabama Birmingham 1968
Previous Appointments & Affiliations
- Professor of Sociology, Sociology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2006 - 2012
- Research Professor of Sociology, Sociology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2004 - 2006
- Professor of Sociology, Sociology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2003 - 2004
- Research Professor of Sociology, Sociology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2002 - 2003
Research
Selected Grants
- Self and Interaction in an Ecology of Identities awarded by National Science Foundation 2003 - 2005
- The Relationship Between Networks and Voluntary Groups: A Proposal for Replication of the General Social Survey Voluntary Organization and Network Modules awarded by National Science Foundation 2003 - 2005
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Smith-Lovin, L., Allison Wisecup, and Miller McPherson. “"Gender Identity Recognition and Task Performance".” Edited by Shane Thye and Edward Lawler. Advances in Group Processes: Social Identification in Groups 22 (2005): 177–201.
  - Miller McPherson, Steven. “"A Blau Space Primer: Prolegomenon to an Ecology of Affiliation".” Industrial and Corporate Change 13 (2004): 263–80.
  - McPherson, M., L. Smith-Lovin, and J. M. Cook. “Birds of a feather: Homophily in social networks.” Annual Review of Sociology 27 (January 1, 2001): 415–44. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.27.1.415.
    Full Text
  - Miller McPherson, Joy, and Joy Tom Rotolo. “"The System of Occupations: Modeling Occupations in Sociodemographic Space".” Social Forces 79, no. 3 (2001): 1095–1130.
  - Miller McPherson, Steven. “"Sampling strategies for the arts: A Hypernetwork Approach".” Poetics, January 2000.
  - Miller McPherson, Raymond T., Dan Cress, and Tom Rotolo. “Competition and Commitment in Voluntary Memberships: The Paradox of Persistence and Participation.” Sociological Perspectives 40 (1997): 61–79.
  - Munch, Allison, and Miller McPherson. ““Gender, Children and Social Contact: The Effects of Childrearing for Men and Women”.” American Sociological Review 62 (1997): 509–20.
  - Miller McPherson, Lynn, and Lynn Thomas Rotolo. “Testing a Dynamic Model of Social Composition: Diversity and Change in Voluntary Groups.” American Sociological Review 61 (1996): 179–202.
  - Miller McPherson, S., and P. Popielarz. “Niche Position, Niche Overlap, and the Duration of Voluntary Memberships.” American Journal of Sociology 101, no. 3 (November 1995).
  - Miller McPherson, P., and P. Thomas Rotolo. “Measuring the structure of voluntary organizations: a multitrait, multimethod analysis.” Social Forces 73 (March 1995): 1097–1115.
  - Miller McPherson, P., Bruce H. Mayhew, Tomas Rotolo, and Lynn Smith-Lovin. “Sex and Ethnic Heterogeneity in Face-to-Face Groups in Public Places: An Ecological Perspective on Social Interaction.” Social Forces 74 (1995): 15–52.
  - Miller McPherson, Zhiqing, P. Popielarz, and S. Drobnic. “Social Networks and Organizational Dynamics.” American Sociological Review 57 (1992): 153–70.
  - Miller McPherson, T., and J. Ranger Moore. “Evolution on a Dancing Landscape: Organizations and Networks in Dynamic Blau Space.” Social Forces 70 (1991): 19–42.
  - Miller McPherson, Howard, and Howard Lynn Smith Lovin. “Homophily in Voluntary Organizations: Status Distance and the Composition of Face-to-Face Groups.".” American Sociological Review 52 (1987): 370–79.
  - McPherson, J Miller. “"Sex Segregation in Voluntary Associations.".” American Sociological Review 51 (1986): 61–79.
  - Miller McPherson, S. “The Size of Voluntary Associations.” Social Forces 64, no. 4 (1983): 1044–64.
  - Miller McPherson, S. “An Ecology of Affiliation.” American Sociological Review 48 (1983): 519–32.
  - Miller McPherson, C., and L. Smith Lovin. “Women and Weak Ties: Sex Differences in the Size of Voluntary Associations.” American Journal of Sociology 87, no. 4 (1982): 883–904.
  - Miller McPherson, S. “A Dynamic Model of Voluntary Affiliation.” Social Forces 59, no. 3 (March 1981): 705–28.
  - Miller McPherson, I. W., and S. Welch. “The Impact of Political Issues on Political Efficacy: A Panel Analysis.” Micropolitics 1, no. 1 (1981): 71–86.
  - Miller McPherson, C. “The Longitudinal Study of Voluntary Affiliation: A Multivariate Analysis.” Journal of Voluntary Action Research 9, no. 3 (January 1980): 74–84.
  - Miller McPherson, I. W. “Applying Joreskog.” American Political Science Review 72 (June 1978): 627–28.
  - Miller McPherson, Adam J., S. Welch, and C. Clark. “Separating the Reliability and Stability in Political Efficacy: Using Path Analysis to Test Alternative Hypotheses.” American Political Science Review 71 (June 1977): 509–21.
  - Miller McPherson, I. W. “Correlates of Social Participation: A Comparison of the Ethnic Community and Compensatory Theories.” Sociological Quarterly 18 (March 1977): 197–208.
  - Miller McPherson, Raymond T. “Theory Trimming.” Social Science Research 5 (1976): 95–105.
  - Miller McPherson, Raymond T. “Hypothesis Testing in Path Analysis.” Social Science Research 3 (1974): 127–39.
  - Miller McPherson, Melody, O. Galle, and W. Gove. “Population Density and Pathology: What Are the Relationships for Man?” Science 7 176 (April 1972): 136–53.
  - Miller McPherson, W., B. Mayhew, R. Levinger, and T. James. “System Size and Structural Differentiation in Formal Organizations.” American Sociological Review 37, no. 5 (January 1972): 629–33.
  - Miller McPherson, W. “On Interactive Path Analysis.” " The American Sociologist 6, no. 3 (August 1971): 262–63.
Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
Presentations & Appearances

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Education, Training, & Certifications

Previous Appointments & Affiliations

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

Academic Articles

Presentations & Appearances