Technology, Proximity, and Measures of Kin Support.

The proposition is advanced that many current measures of kinship strength may paradoxically indicate inadequate or weakened kinship structures. That is so because they rely on measures that emphasize continuous proximity. This curious paradox is a consequence of inattention to the relationship between technology, services, and proximity. This article presents nonproximity indicators of kinship contact and service delivery that can measure strength of kinship bonds, and states the principles for assessing at what distances kin can deliver which services.