Reference: Rainie & Wellman (2012) Networked: The new social operating system

1. Studying Structures of Social
Networks
Social Network Analysis

2. Founding work 1
G. Simmel (1858-1918) F. Tonnies (1855-1936)
! Heterogenity & Individualitiy ! Isolation & Impersonalization
! Triads vs Dyads ! Gemeinshaft vs Gesellschaft
! Group Affiliations and
Identity

3. Founding work 2

4. Founding Work 2
Civil Rights (and other Social, Political) Movement (1960s)

5. Cadres of June Revolution1832 in France

6. Founding work 3:
Innovation Diffusion

7. Founding work 3:
Innovation Diffusion

8. Founding work 3:
Innovation Diffusion
! Innovators (2.5%)
! Early Adopters (13.5%)
! Early Majority (34%)
! Late Majority (34%)
! Laggards (16%)
! Any changes when ICT is implemented?

9. Studying the Structure of Social
Networks
1. Analyzing Network Ties:
quality, quantity, symmetry (reciprocity), multiplexity

10. 2. Exploring the whole network structure
Milgram’s “Small-World” Experiment (1967)

11. 2. Exploring the whole network structure
A Power law (or Matthew Effect; rich-get-richer)

12. 3. Characterizing individuals’ positions in social
network
! Brokerage/Bridging ties ! Bonding ties (locals)
(cosmopolitan)

13. Two Types of Social Network
Analysis
! The “Whole” network: Look at the relational
structure on a whole group level
! Personal (Ego-centered) Network: Abstractions of
social network structures centered on an individual
Ego: a focal actor in a given network (Wellman, 1993).

14. Network Graphs
Whole Ego

15. Network Graphs
Whole Ego

16. Network Graphs
Whole Ego

18. Social Network Analysis
! Based on Matrix Algebra
! Socio-matrix

19. What can we find?
! Cluster of people
! How densely knit
! Bridges
! Networks of networks (e.g. interorganizationl, international
networks)
! Indirect ties (latent ties)
! Structural equivalence

20. Density, clustering, bridges, indirect ties

21. Structural equivalence