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The effect of retirement on social relationships

Author

Listed:
  • Comi Simona Lorena

    (Department of Business and Law, 9305 University of Milano Bicocca, Via Bicocca degli Arcimboldi, 8, 20126 Milano (MI), Italy)

  • Cottini Elena

    (9371 Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano, Italy)

  • Lucifora Claudio

    (9371 Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano, Italy)

Abstract

We analyze the causal effect of retirement on individual social relationships using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. We find that retirement changes the composition of the individual’s social network, inducing a substitution between weak (friends or colleagues) and strong ties (family), along with an increase in the intensity of the surviving ties, and there is no effect on the network’s size. These changes in the social network’s composition are associated with a higher satisfaction and stronger relationships. Interestingly, females reduce the share of friends while males that of colleagues.

Suggested Citation

  • Comi Simona Lorena & Cottini Elena & Lucifora Claudio, 2022. "The effect of retirement on social relationships," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 23(2), pages 275-299, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:germec:v:23:y:2022:i:2:p:275-299:n:1
    DOI: 10.1515/ger-2020-0109
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    1. Dai Binh Tran & Pham Ngoc Tham, 2025. "Retirement and Health Dynamics in Rural Vietnam: Insights From Longitudinal Data," SAGE Open, , vol. 15(3), pages 21582440251, September.
    2. Liisa-Maria Palomäki & Jyri Liukko & Aart-Jan Riekhoff & Sanna Tenhunen, 2025. "Retirement timing and changes in quality of life: a retrospective analysis of transition from employment to old-age retirement in Finland," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Atalay, Kadir & Staneva, Anita & Zhu, Rong, 2026. "Integration or Isolation? The Impact of Retirement on Social Capital," IZA Discussion Papers 18396, IZA Network @ LISER.
    4. Philipp Handschuh & Jacqueline Kroh & Markus Nester, 2024. "The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Life Satisfaction: Does Social Belonging Matter as a Mechanism and are There Differences by Age?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(8), pages 1-43, December.
    5. Dai Binh Tran & Pham Ngoc Tham & Pablo Barriga, 2025. "Retirement dynamics and anticipated well-being: insights from rural Vietnam," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • C26 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Instrumental Variables (IV) Estimation

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