A Critical Examination of Theoretical Foundations

Question

What is social network analysis according to influential researchers such as John Scott?

Answer 1

An orientation towards the social world that inheres in a particular set of methods. It is not a specific body of formal or sbustantive social theory.

Answer 2

1. The social network field is characterized by text-decorationimported theories, theories borrowed from other disciplines.

2. There are at least two text-decorationhome-grown or indigenous social network theories: heterophily theory and structural role theory.

3. There is considerable text-decorationexportation of network ideas into existing organizational theories.

Answer 3

1. Degree of connectedness: the extent to which actors are able to connect to each other through the network

2. Graph hierarchy: the extent to which the informal organization is hierarchical

3. Graph efficiency: the degree to which the number of links in the network approaches the minimum necessary to prevent the network fragmenting into two separate parts

4. Least upper boundedness: the extent to which each pair of actors has access to a third person to whom they both defer

Answer 4

1. People prefer balanced relationships

2. People prefer to interact with others with whom they share one or more characteristics

3. If people are involved in unbalanced relationships, they have feelings of discomfort

4. People will act to change unbalanced relationships into balanced ones

A Critical Examination of Theoretical Foundations

4 important questions on A Critical Examination of Theoretical Foundations

What is social network analysis according to influential researchers such as John Scott?

There are three categories of research and thinking in the existing work in social networks. What are those?

What are the four graph-theoretic aspects of informal organization?

What does balance theory say?

Topics that are related to A Critical Examination of Theoretical Foundations

Imported theories: borrowing from other disciplines - Balance theory - Simmelian ties