The study claim that in good times, people can easily maintain a broader network, but when times aren't as flush, having more friends might incur huge costs in terms of both time and resources.
Oishi and Kesebir said a broad, shallow networking strategy serves good for those who live in a residentially mobile, economically favorable context, but it won't fully serve to those who live in a place where economic conditions aren't as favorable.
They say in bad times having more friends would mean people spending more in terms of times of resources.
They also found that having a small social network with deep ties to friends is advantageous when friends are not likely to move away and the economy is unstable. Regardless of economic conditions, having a broad social network with weak ties to friends is advantageous when friends are likely to move away.
They concluded that the two studies provide clear evidence for the role of socioeconomic factors – such as residential mobility and economic security – in determining the most adaptive networking strategy.
