1 / 116

A Non-Technical Introduction to Social Network Analysis Barry Wellman

Networks For Newbies. A Non-Technical Introduction to Social Network Analysis Barry Wellman. Founder, International Network For Social Network Analysis

Download Presentation

A Non-Technical Introduction to Social Network Analysis Barry Wellman

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Networks For Newbies A Non-Technical Introduction to Social Network AnalysisBarry Wellman Founder, International Network For Social Network Analysis Centre for Urban & Community Studies University of Toronto Toronto, Canada M5S 1A1 wellman@chass.utoronto.cawww.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman

  2. NetLab

  3. Three Ways to Look at Reality • Categories • All Possess One or More Properties as an Aggregate of Individuals • Examples: Men, Developed Countries • Groups • (Almost) All Densely-Knit Within Tight Boundary • Thought of as a Solidary Unit (Really a Special Network) • Family, Workgroup, Community • Networks • Set of Connected Units: People, Organizations, Networks • Can Belong to Multiple Networks • Examples: Friendship, Organizational, Inter-Organizational, World-System, Internet

  4. Nodes, Relationships & Ties • Nodes: A Unit That Possibly is Connected • Individuals, Households, Workgroups,Organizations, States Relationships (A Specific Type of Connection) A “Role Relationship” • Gives Emotional Support • Sends Money To • Attacks • Ties (One or More Relationships) • Friendship (with possibly many relationships) • Affiliations (Person – Organization) • Works for IBM; INSNA Member; Football Team • One-Mode, Two-Mode Networks

  5. A Network is More Than The Sum of Its Ties • A Network Consists of One or More Nodes • Could be Persons, Organizations, Groups, Nations • Connected by One or More Ties • Could be One or More Relationships • That Form Distinct, Analyzable Patterns • Can Study Patterns of Relationships OR Ties • Emergent Properties (Simmel vs. Homans)

  6. In a Sentence – “To Discover How A, Who is in Touch with B and C, Is Affected by the Relation Between B & C” John Barnes

  7. 2 Minute History of Sunbelt Conference • Informal conferences in mid-late 1970s • Toronto (1974); Hawaii • Formalized as Sunbelt 1981 – annual • Why “Sunbelt”? • Normal Rotation: SE US, US West, Europe • Slovenia (2004); Charleston (Feb 2005), Vancouver? • Always Informal, But Serious Work

  8. 10 Minute History of INSNA • Founded by Barry Wellman in 1976-1977 • Sabbatical Travel Carried Tales • Nick Mullins: Every “Theory Group” Has an Organizational Leader • Owned by Wellman until 1988 as small business • Subsequent Coordinators/Presidents • Al Wolfe, Steve Borgatti, Martin Everett • Steering Committee • Non-Profit Constitution under Borgatti; Coordinator > President • Bill Richards President, 2003- • Scott Feld VP; Katie Faust Treasurer; Frans Stokman, Euro. Rep. • Our First Real Election • Grown from 175 to 400 Members • Many More on Listserv (Not Limited to Members) • Steve Borgatti maintains; unmoderated • Website: www.insna.sfu.ca -- being upgraded

  9. 10 Minute Overview - Journals • Wellman founded,edited,published Connections, 1977 • Informal journal: “Useful” articles, news, gossip, grants, abstracts, book summaries • Bill Richards, Tom Valente edit now • Lin Freeman founded, edits Social Networks, 1978? • Formal journal: Refereed articles • Ronald Breiger now co-editor • David Krackhardt founded, edits J of Social Structure, 2000? • Online, Refereed • Lots of visuals • Articles Appear Occasionally when their time has come

  10. 10 Minute Overview – Key Books • Elizabeth Bott, Family & Social Network, 1957 • J. Clyde Mitchell, Networks, Norms & Institutions, 1973 • Holland & Leinhardt, Perspectives on Social Network Research,1979s • S. D. Berkowitz, An Introduction to Structural Analysis, 1982 • Knoke & Kuklinski, Network Analysis, 1983, Sage, low-cost • Charles Tilly, Big Structures, Large Processes, Huge Comparisons, 1984 • Wellman & Berkowitz, eds., Social Structures, 1988 • David Knoke, Political Networks, 1990 • John Scott, Social Network Analysis, 1991 • Ron Burt, Structural Holes, 1992 • Manuel Castells, The Rise of Network Society, 1996, 2000 • Wasserman & Faust, Social Network Analysis, 1992 • Nan Lin, Social Capital (monograph & reader), 2001

  11. 10 Minute Overview – Software • UCINet – Whole Network Analysis • Lin Freeman, Steve Borgatti, Martin Everett • MultiNet – Whole Network Analysis • + Nodal Characteristics • Structure – Ron Burt – Not Maintained • P*Star – Dyadic Analysis – Stan Wasserman • Krackplot – Network Visualization (Obsolete) • David Krackhardt, Jim Blythe • Pajek – Network Visualization – Supersedes Krackplot • Slovenia • Personal Network Analysis • SPSS/SAS – See Wellman, et al. “How To…” papers

  12. 10 Minute Overview – Data Basis • Small Group “Sociometry”1930s > (Moreno, Bonacich, Cook) • Finding People Who Enjoy Working Together • Evolved into Exchange Theory, Small Group Studies • Ethnographic Studies, 1950s > (Mitchell, Barnes) • Does Modernization > Disconnection? • Survey Research: Personal Networks, 1970s > • Community, Support & Social Capital, “Guanxi” • Mathematics & Simulation, 1970s > (Freeman, White) • Formalist / Methods & Substantive Analysis • Survey & Archival Research, Whole Nets, 1970s > • Organizational, Inter-Organizational, Inter-National Analyses • Political Structures, 1970s > (Tilly, Wallerstein) • Social Movements, Mobilization (anti Alienation) • World Systems (asymmetric structure > Globalization) • Computer Networks as Social Networks, late 1990s > (Sack) • Automated Data Collection

  13. The Multiple Ways of Network Analysis • Method – The Most Visible Manifestation • Misleading to Confuse Appearance with Reality • Data Gathering – see previous slide • Theory – Pattern Matters • Substance • Community, Organizational, Inter-Organizational, Terrorist, World System • An Add-On: • Add a Few Network Measures to a Study • Integrated Approach • A Way of Looking at the World: • Theory, Data Collection, Data Analysis, Substantive Analysis • Not Actor-Network Theory • Links to Structural Analyses in Other Disciplines

  14. The Social Network Approach • The world is composed of networks - not densely-knit, tightly-bounded groups • Networks provide flexible means of social organization and of thinking about social organization • Networks have emergent properties of structure and composition • Networks are a major source of social capital mobilizable in themselves and from their contents • Networks are self-shaping and reflexive • Networks scale up to networks of networks

  15. The Social Network Approach • Moving from a hierarchical society bound up in little boxes to a network – and networking – society • Multiple communities / work networks • Multiplicity of specialized relations • Management by networks • More alienation, more maneuverability • Loosely-coupled organizations / societies • Less centralized • The networked society

  16. Changing Connectivity:Groups to Networks • Densely Knit > Sparsely-Knit • Impermeable (Bounded) > Permeable • Broadly-Based Solidarity > Specialized Multiple Foci

  17. Networked Individualism • Moving from a society bound up in little boxes to a multiple network – and networking – society • Networks are a flexible means of social organization • Networks are a major source of social capital: mobilizable in themselves & from their contents • Networks link: • Persons • Within organizations • Between organizations and institutions

  18. Little BoxesRamified Networks **** Each in its Place  Mobility of People and Goods **** • United Family  Serial Marriage, Mixed Custody • Shared Community  Multiple, Partial Personal Nets • Neighborhoods  Dispersed Networks • Voluntary Organizations  Informal Leisure • Face-to-Face Computer-Mediated Communication • Public Spaces  Private Spaces • Focused Work Unit  Networked Organizations • Job in a Company  Career in a Profession • Autarky  Outsourcing • Office, Factory  Airplane, Internet, Cellphone • Ascription  Achievement • Hierarchies  Matrix Management • Conglomerates  Virtual Organizations/Alliances • Cold War Blocs  Fluid, Transitory Alliances

  19. Little Boxes Glocalization Networked Individualism Barry Wellman co-editor Social Structure: A Network ApproachJAI-Elsevier Press 1998

  20. Ways of Looking at Networks • Whole Networks & Personal Networks • Focus on the System or on the Set of Individuals • Graphs & Matrices • We dream in graphs • We analyze in matrices

  21. Whole Social Networks • Comprehensive Set of Role Relationships in an Entire Social System • Analyze Each Role Relationship – Can Combine • Composition: % Women; Heterogeneity; % Weak Ties • Structure: Pattern of Ties • Village, Organization, Kinship, Enclaves, World-System • Copernican Airplane View • Typical Methods: Cliques, Blocks, Centrality, Flows • Examples: (1)What is the Real Structure of an Organization? • (2) How Does Information Flow Through a Village?

  22. Cumulative GlobeNet Intercitation Through 2000 Howard White & Barry Wellman, 2003 “Does Citation Reflect Social Structure”

  23. Strongest Globenet Co-Citation, Intercitation Links Thru 2000

  24. Duality of Persons & Groups • People Link Groups • Groups Link People • An Interpersonal Net is an Interorganizational Net • Ronald Breiger 1973

  25. The Dualities of Persons and Groups -- Graphs

  26. Dualities of Persons and Groups -- Matrices

  27. Dualities of Persons and Groups: Event-Event Matrix

  28. Neat Whole Network Methods • QAP • Regression of Matrices • Example: Co-Citation (Intellectual Tie) Predicts Better than Friendship (Social Tie) To Inter-Citation • Clustering: High Density; Tight Boundaries (“Groups”) • Block Modeling • Similar Role Relationships, Not Necessarily Clusters • Canada & Mexico in Same Block – US Dominated

  29. Erickson, 1988: From a Matrix > . . .

  30. . . . To a Block Model

  31. Costs of Whole Network Analysis • Requires a Roster of Entire Population • Requires (Imposition of) a Social Boundary • This May Assume What You Want to Find • Hard to Handle Missing Data • Needs Special Analytic Packages • Becoming Easier to Use

  32. Personal Social Networks • Ptolemaic Ego-Centered View • Good for Unbounded Networks • Often Uses Survey Research • Example: (1)Do Densely-Knit Networks Provide More Support? (structure) • (2) Do More Central People Get More Support? (network) • (2) Do Women Provide More Support? (composition) • (3) Do Face-to-Face Ties Provide More Support Than Internet Ties? (relational) • (4) Are People More Isolated Now? (ego)

  33. Costs of Personal Network Studies • Concentrates on Strong Ties • Collecting Proper Data in Survey Takes Much Time • Ignores Ecological Juxtapositions • Hard to Aggregate from Personal Network to Whole Network • Easier to Decompose Whole Network • (Haythornthwaite & Wellman) • Often Relies on Respondents’ Reports

  34. Social Network Analysis: More Flavors • Diffusion of Information (& Viruses) • Flows Through Systems • Organizational Analyses • “Real” Organization” • Knowledge Acquisition & Management • Inter-Organizational Analysis • Is There a Ruling Elite • Strategies, Deals • Networking: How People Network • As a Strategy • Unconscious Behavior • Are There Networking Personality Types?

  35. SNA: Branching Out • Social Movements • World-Systems Analyses • Cognitive Networks • Citation Networks • Co-Citation • Inter-Citation • Applied Networks • Terrorist Networks • Corruption Networks

  36. Multilevel Analysis:New Approach to an Old Problem • Switching and Combining Levels • Individual Agency, Dyadic Dancing, Network Facilitation & Emergent Properties • Consider Wider Range of Theories • Disentangles (& Avoids Nagging Confounding) • Tie Effects • Network Effects • Contingent (Cross-Level) Effects • Interactions • Addresses Emergent Properties • Fundamental Sociological Issue • Simmel vs. Homans

  37. Multilevel Analysis – Tie Effects • Tie Strength: Stronger is More Supportive • Workmates: Provide More Everyday Support • (Multilevel Discovered This)

  38. Multilevel Analysis– Network Effects • Network Size • Not Only More Support from Entire Network • More Probability of Support from Each Network Member • Mutual Ties (Reciprocity): • Those Who Have More Ties with Network Members Provide More Support • Cross-Level Effect Stronger (and Attenuates) Dyadic (Tie-Level) Effect It’s Contribution to the Network, Not the Alter

  39. Multilevel Analysis:Cross-Level, Interaction Effects • Kinship • No longer a solidary system • Parent-(Adult) Child Interaction • More Support From Each When > 1 Parent-Child Tie • Single P-C Tie: 34% • 2+ P-C Ties, Probability of Support from Each: 54%

  40. Multilevel Interactions-- Accessibility • 37% of Moderately Accessible Ties Provide Everyday Support • But If Overall Network Is Moderately Supportive, • 54% of All Network Members Provide Everyday Support • Women More Supportive In Nets with More Women

  41. The Internet in Everyday Life • Computer Networks as Social Networks • Key Questions • Community On and Off line • Networked Life before the Internet • Netville: The Wired Suburb • Large Web Surveys: National Geographic • Work On and Off line • Towards Networked Individualism, or • The Retreat to Little Boxes

  42. Social Affordances of New Forms of Computer-Mediated Connectivity • Bandwidth • Ubiquity – Anywhere, Anytime • Convergence – Any Media Accesses All • Portability – Especially Wireless • Globalized Connectivity • Personalization

  43. Research Questions • Ties: Does the Internet support all types of ties? • Weak and Strong? • Instrumental and Socio-Emotional? • Online-Only or Using Internet & Other Media (F2F, Phone)? • Social Capital: Has the Internet increased,decreased, or multiplied contact – at work, in society? • Interpersonally – Locally • Interpersonally – Long Distance • Organizationally • GloCalization:Has the map of the world dissolved so much that distance does not matter? Has the Internet brought spatial and socialperipheries closer to the center?

  44. Research Questions (cont’d) • Structure: Does the Internet facilitate working in loosely-couplednetworks rather than dense, tight groups? • Knowledge Management: How do people find and acquire usable knowledge in networked and virtual organizations

  45. Guiding Research Principles • Substitute systematic data analysis for hype • Do field studies, not lab experiments • Combine statistical with observational info. • Study the use of each media in larger context • Work with other disciplines • Analyze Existing Uses • Develop New Uses

  46. Studies of Community On and Off-Line • Pre-Internet Networked Communities • “Netville”: The Wired Suburb • National Geographic Web Survey • 1998, 2001 • Other Internet Community Studies • Barry Wellman,“The Network Community” • Introduction to Networks in the Global Village • Westview Press, 1999

  47. Source: Dan Heap Parliamentary Campaign 1992 (NDP) Toronto in the Continental Division of Labor

  48. Physical Place and Cyber Place • Door to Door, Place to Place, • Person to Person, Role to Role • Barry Wellman, “Changing Connectivity: A Future History of Y2.03K.” Sociological Research Online 4, 4, February 2000: http://www.socresonline.org.uk/4/wellman.html • Barry Wellman, “Physical Place and Cyber Place: The Rise of Networked Individualism.” International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 25(2001): June.

  49. Door To Door • Old Workgroups/ Communities Based on Propinquity, Kinship • Pre-Industrial Villages, Wandering Bands • All Observe and Interact with All • Deal with Only One Group • Knowledge Comes Only From Within the Group – and Stays Within the Group

  50. Place To Place (Phones, Networked PCs, Airplanes, Expressways, RR, Transit) Home, Office Important Contexts, • Not Intervening Space • Ramified & Sparsely Knit: Not Local Solidarities • Not neighborhood-based • Not densely-knit with a group feeling • Partial Membership in Multiple Workgroups/ Communities • Often Based on Shared Interest • Connectivity Beyond Neighborhood, Work Site • Household to Household / Work Group to Work Group • Domestication, Feminization of Community • Deal with Multiple Groups • Knowledge Comes From Internal & External Sources • “Glocalization”: Globally Connected, Locally Invested

More Related