Introduction To Social Network Analysis (SNA) and SNA Tools

Introduction to
Social Network Analysis (SNA)

and SNA Tools:
Institutions, Individuals & Activities
Cami Ryan, PhD

Professional Research Associate
Department of Bioresource Policy,
Business & Economics
University of Saskatchewan
April 14, 2010
 Part I: The Basics of Social Network Analysis
◦ History
◦ Concepts
◦ Definitions
◦ Measures
 Part II: Visualizing and Analyzing Networks with ORA
◦ Elemental ORA
 loading / transferring data
 Setting up ORA files
◦ Visualizing networks in ORA
 1 Mode networks, 2 Mode networks & Meta-networks
 Incorporating Attributes
◦ Generating ORA SNA reports
What we will cover today…

"To develop a complete mind, study the science of art, study the art of science. Learn how to see.
Realize that everything connects to everything else." ~ Leonardo Da Vinci
1
PART I:
The Basics of Social Network
Analysis
 Introduction / Background & History of SNA
 Network Components / Concepts
 Interpretations of visuals / graphs
 Network Analyses
 Data sources
 Network levels analytical approaches
 Measures
Part I
2
 ‘Social networks’ are:
◦ ..sets of socially-relevant nodes connected by one or more
relations (Marin & Wellman 2009)
 ‘Social Network Analysis’ is:

◦ …the study of social relations among a set of actors…a field
of study -- a set of phenomena or data which we seek to
understand (Borgatti 2010)
◦ Social network analysis is neither a theory nor a
methodology. Rather, it is a perspective or a paradigm…
(Marin & Wellman 2009)
Definitions of Social Networks & SNA

3
 Late 1800’s – Durkheim & Tönnies (societies as a set of
social ties based on values and beliefs
(gemeinschaft/gesellschaft))
 Circa 1908 – Simmel (interactions in loosely connected
networks rather than groups or societies per se)
 1930’s – interactions in work groups (Moreno, Warner &
Mayo)
 1950’s – Bott’s kinship studies
Early History of SNA

4
1950s/1960s 1960s/1970s and onward
Disciplinary Urbanization Studies Multiple Math/Quantitative

focus
Academic Setting U Manchester Harvard / UC Irvine U Chicago

Social Relations
SNA ‘Movers & Gluckman Erickson Boyd Laumann

Shakers’ Mitchell Wellman Freeman Marsden
Nadel Granovetter Faust Padget
…. Padget Borgatti ….
Tilly Krackhardt
Milgrim ….
Carley
….
Key ‘Influencers’ of Modern SNA

5
• anthropology
• sociology
• computations science
• Start of the ‘communications’ pull/push
• Communications / communities / culture
• Natural sciences (epidemiology, etc)
• Physics
Disciplinary Trajectory
6
 Interdisciplinary field of study
◦ International Network for Social Network Analysis (INSNA)
 Founded by Wellman in 1977
 Grown from 175 founding members to 1200+
 Network based research & SSHRC
◦ 4th largest share of grants
 Publications:
◦ American Journal of Sociology, American Sociological
Review, Social Forces, Human Organization, Administrative
Science Quarterly, City and Community, Work and
Occupations, Social Networks, Connections, Journal of
Social Structure…
SNA today…
7
 Quite simply…
◦ Power accrues to certain people, organizations or
institutions in society
◦ Understanding power structures helps to identify change
agents
◦ Some relationships / structures cannot be easily
understood or analyzed with traditional social science
approaches
So, what’s the big deal about SNA?

8
 Fundamental unit of analysis is the relationship(s)
between or amongst a set of actors
◦ Nodes embedded in networks to varying degrees and in
different ways
◦ Variations in network structures
◦ Cohesiveness/boundary strength = less identifiable sets of
nodes, less obvious social structures
Let’s look at some examples…

Networks in Practice
9
Intelligence…
10
Source: Valdis Krebs @ orgnet.com
9-11 Terrorist Network

Identifying Fraudsters…
Insider Trading Network
Wiggins et al ASNA (2006)
Academic Hiring Networks

http://blog.networkingaction.net/
Web Crawl Network NGOs in the Global Finance Debate

Ryan & Einsiedel 2009
NGOs & Issue Analysis on the topic of GURTs

http://www.opte.org/maps/
Mapping the Internet

http://www.bordalierinstitute.com/target1.html
User visits to Sites Network

Topic Centered Citation Network (science)
http://www.thenetworkthinker.com
Contagion Network
http://www.bordalierinstitute.com/target1.html
E. Coli metabolic network

Gene Network Analysis
Bubela, Einsiedel, Noble, Orton & Ryan (2008)
Mouse Repository Network

TUFGEN
PB
BEEM
MicGen
SynBio GWG
Valgen
GAPM
SF
GenoZ
VEGI
MetaGen
Applied Genomics Research in Bioproducts or Crops Network

Source: Valdis Krebs @ orgnet.com
NE Ohio Economic Development Network

?!?!?!
http://piratesocial.org/
Twitter Network
M. Smith – Connected Action 2009/
Who Tweets Who about an Event

Facebook Network
Network Components
 Actors, individuals, organizations, firms, countries
Nodes
11
 Strength, directionality and other factors
Links or Ties
12
 institutional type, demographic, tenure, geographical
location
Attributes
13
 Each network represents a type of relationship
(communication, trust, awareness, other institutional
connections)
 This network example?

 Conference planners
 Colour = affiliation
 Size = seniority
 Links = level of communication
Relationships
14
Sub-structures
15
Sub-structures - DYAD
16
Sub-structures - TRIAD
17
Sub-structures – CLOSED TRIAD
18
 Power accrues to particular people, organizations or
institutions in society
 Understanding power structures helps to identify where

changes can be made
 Network structure can illustrate that which may not

easily understood through traditional social science
approaches
Recall…
19
 Density
◦ Total number of ties or links divided by the total number of

possible links
L
Density Network =
N ( N − 1)
Network Level Measures

20
N = 14
Density = 6.7%
EXAMPLE: Low density network

21
N = 14
Density = 54.8%
EXAMPLE: High density network

22
 Family of 70+ centrality measures
 Key Centrality Measures:
◦ Total Degree Centrality (TDC)
◦ Betweenness Centrality (BC)
◦ Eigenvector Centrality (EC)
 Through centrality measures, we can identify network

leaders
Node Level Measures &

Identifying Network Leaders
23
 Who are the…
 …centrally connected actors (highest TDC)?
◦ more connected than any other actor/node
 …brokers or gatekeepers (highest BC)?
◦ Is a critical node on a path for routes of
knowledge exchange or key collaborative
activities
 …most powerful (highest EC)?
◦ more connected to other central actors
Identifying Network Leaders

24
 more connected
to other actors
than any other
actor/node within
the network
LEADER #1: Most Centrally Connected Actor (TDC)

25
B
F H
A
C D I J
G
Who is more connected in this case?

26
B
F H
A
C D I J
G
“F” has the highest Total

Degree Centrality measure…
Who is more connected in this case?
27
B
F H
A
C D I J
G
What would happen if we lose “F”?

28
B
H
A
C D I J
G

29
B
H
A
C D I J
G

30
B
H
A
C D I J
G

31
 on a critical route for
information flows in the
network
 Key node/actor that
connects others in vital
ways
LEADER #2: Gatekeeper or Broker (BC)

32
B
F H
A
C D I J
G
Who is the gatekeeper here?

33
B
F H
A
C D I J
G
“G” has the highest Betweenness

Centrality measure…
Who is the gatekeeper here?
34
B
F H
A
C D I J
G
What happens if we lose “G”?

35
B
F H
A
C D I J

36
B
F H
A
C D I J

37
B
F H
A
C D I J

38
 more connected to other central actors
LEADER #3: Most Powerful Actor

39
B
F H
A
C D I J
G
Who would appear to have the most power here?

40
B
F H
A
C D I J
G
E
“C” has the highest Eigenvector
Centrality measure….
Who would appear to have the most power here?
41
B
F H
A
C D I J
G
What would happen if we lose “C”?

42
B
F H
A
D I J
G

43
B
F H
A
D I J
G

44
B
H
A
D I J
G
“C” and “F”?

45
B
H
A
C D I J
“F” and “G”?

46
B
H
A
D I J
“C” and “F” and “G”?

47
Density = 0.24
“Faculty” Network (n=14)

48
Who are the most connected actors in the Faculty?
49
0.46
0.31
Highest Total Degree Centrality (TDC) Measure

50
Who is the “gatekeeper” or “broker” in the Faculty?
51
0.36
Highest Betweenness Centrality (BC) Measure

52
Who has the most “power” in the Faculty?
53
0.94
Highest Eigenvector Centrality (EC) Measure

54
Example: 2-mode “Faculty” Network
55
Which is the most central event/activity?
56
Which is the most central event/activity?
57
What other observations can you make?
58
2-Mode
Relational Database/Matrix
59
1-Mode
60
How do we get from a set of related individuals, firms or organizations to…
61
firm M
firm G
firm C
firm D
firm H
firm N
firm A
firm B
firm E
firm K
firm F
firm L
firm J
firm I
firm A 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
firm B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
firm C 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
firm D 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0
firm E 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
firm F 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
firm G 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
firm H 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
firm I 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
firm J 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
firm K 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
firm L 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1
firm M 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
firm N 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0
…this matrix to…

62
…an interconnected network?
63
Data collection
Analysis
The “Social Network Analysis” Protocol

64
Data collection
Analysis

64
 NetDraw / UCINet (Borgatti / Analytics)
 NodeXL (Smith / MicroSoft Office/Excel)
 Pajek (large datasets)
 InFlow (Krebs)
 KrackPlot (Krackhardt)
 StocNet (Snjiders)
 … > 50 options
Several software options

65
PART II:
Visualizing and Analyzing Networks with
ORA
(Organization Risk Analysis)
 In Excel, open “WorkshopExercises2010”
 1-Mode Network Data – “Mode 1 Data Value Based”
◦ Consists of:
 One set of actors and identifiable relationships amongst them
 (Relationship can either be uni or bi-directional)
 N x N cells
 2-Mode Network Data – “Mode 2 Data IND x EVENT”
◦ Consists of either:
 two sets of actors or
 one set of actors and one set of events or other factors
◦ Not necessarily symmetrical in structure
◦ N x ? cells
Matrix/Relational Databases
66
2-Mode
67
1-Mode
68
1. Loading data into ORA from Excel
2. Creating and Visualizing 1-Mode Network (org by org)
3. Creating and Visualizing 2-Mode Network (individual x
event)
4. Visualize meta-network
5. Sensitivity Analysis
6. Report Generation in ORA
Exercises
69
event)
Exercises
69
event)
Exercises
69
event)
Exercises
69
event)
Exercises
69
event)
Exercises
69
event)
Exercises
69
Data collection
Analysis

70
 Step 1
◦ what kinds of networks and what kinds of relations?
 Step 2
◦ define network boundaries / who’s in? who’s out?
 Step 3
◦ Network Structure / 1-Mode? 2-Mode? Ego?
 Step 4
◦ Ties/links/connections
Strategizing Your SNA Research

71
 Step 5
◦ Data gathering method
 Secondary sources?
◦ Archives or historical information
 Primary sources?
◦ Interviews / surveys
 Timelines
Strategizing Your SNA Research

72
Gathering Primary Data:
Example of SNA Survey
Gathering Secondary Data: ISI Thomson WoK
Questions
Discussion
Cami Ryan, PhD
Cami.ryan@usask.ca
Twitter me @DocCamiRyan
Blog: http://doccami.posterous.com/
April 14, 2010

Introduction To Social Network Analysis (SNA) and SNA Tools

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Introduction to

Social Network Analysis (SNA)

Cami Ryan, PhD

What we will cover today…

 ‘Social Network Analysis’ is:

Definitions of Social Networks & SNA

Early History of SNA

Disciplinary Urbanization Studies Multiple Math/Quantitative

Academic Setting U Manchester Harvard / UC Irvine U Chicago

SNA ‘Movers & Gluckman Erickson Boyd Laumann

Key ‘Influencers’ of Modern SNA

So, what’s the big deal about SNA?

Let’s look at some examples…

9-11 Terrorist Network

Academic Hiring Networks

Web Crawl Network NGOs in the Global Finance Debate

NGOs & Issue Analysis on the topic of GURTs

Mapping the Internet

User visits to Sites Network

E. Coli metabolic network

Mouse Repository Network

Applied Genomics Research in Bioproducts or Crops Network

NE Ohio Economic Development Network

Who Tweets Who about an Event

 This network example?

 Understanding power structures helps to identify where

 Network structure can illustrate that which may not

◦ Total number of ties or links divided by the total number of

Network Level Measures

EXAMPLE: Low density network

EXAMPLE: High density network

 Through centrality measures, we can identify network

Node Level Measures &

Identifying Network Leaders

LEADER #1: Most Centrally Connected Actor (TDC)

Who is more connected in this case?

“F” has the highest Total

What would happen if we lose “F”?

What would happen if we lose “F”?

What would happen if we lose “F”?

What would happen if we lose “F”?

LEADER #2: Gatekeeper or Broker (BC)

Who is the gatekeeper here?

“G” has the highest Betweenness

What happens if we lose “G”?

What happens if we lose “G”?

What happens if we lose “G”?

What happens if we lose “G”?

LEADER #3: Most Powerful Actor

Who would appear to have the most power here?

What would happen if we lose “C”?

What would happen if we lose “C”?

What would happen if we lose “C”?

“C” and “F”?

“F” and “G”?

“C” and “F” and “G”?

“Faculty” Network (n=14)

Highest Total Degree Centrality (TDC) Measure

Highest Betweenness Centrality (BC) Measure

Highest Eigenvector Centrality (EC) Measure

…this matrix to…

The “Social Network Analysis” Protocol