Background and motivation

The COVID-19 pandemic clearly highlighted the importance of neighborly networks: Across Switzerland, neighbors supported each other, for example, by going shopping for at-risk individuals or to help out with childcare. However, even in ordinary times, spatial networks and contexts have an impact on our everyday lives. Whether it is choosing a new apartment, thinking about changing jobs, or deciding on a secondary school for the children.

Such influences are commonly referred to as neighborhood effects in the scientific discourse. While a considerable amount of research and results have been accumulated over the years, in the Swiss context the research field is still in its infancy. In addition, the unbiased identification of such effects presents us with major challenges: For instance, when it comes to educational decisions, it is rather other parents of children in the same class or school with whom we exchange information that are crucial and not primarily the fact that these people also live in the same neighborhood. Such overlapping contexts and networks have so far often been neglected.

With our project we would thus like to contribute to a better estimation of the influence of neighborhood networks and spatial differences. To this end, we use experimental designs and Big Data approaches in addition to "traditional" survey research methods. Central to this, however, is your collaboration and we really appreciate any feedback. Your opinion is not only important to us, but we are rather dependent on it and gladly accept it both standardized - in the form of the questionnaire - as well as openly via email or by means of the contact form at any time.

We would therefore like to take the opportunity to thank you for your participation in the survey and for your feedback or comments.