Social Network Analysis, what is it:
Social Network Analysis (SNA) is a methodological approach to studying and understanding social structures and relationships among entities. These entities can be individuals, groups, organizations, or any other unit that can be connected in a social context. The analysis focuses on the patterns of connections, interactions, and relationships to gain insights into the overall structure and dynamics of the social network.
Key concepts in Social Network Analysis include:
Nodes (Vertices): These represent the entities in the network, such as individuals, organizations, or any other relevant unit.
Edges (Links or Ties): These represent the relationships or connections between nodes. Edges can be directed or undirected, depending on the nature of the relationship.
Network: The combination of nodes and edges, forming the overall structure that is being analyzed.
Degree: The number of connections a node has in the network. In-degree refers to the number of incoming connections, while out-degree refers to the number of outgoing connections.
Centrality: Measures the importance of a node within the network. Nodes with high centrality are often considered influential or pivotal.
Cliques and Clusters: Cliques are subsets of nodes where every node is connected to every other node. Clusters are groups of nodes that are more densely connected to each other than to nodes outside the group.
Network Density: The proportion of connections in a network relative to the total possible connections. It provides an indication of how tightly-knit or dispersed a network is.
Social Network Analysis is applied in various fields, including sociology, anthropology, psychology, business, and information science. It helps researchers and analysts understand the structure of relationships, identify key players, detect patterns of communication, and assess the overall health and resilience of social networks. SNA is often used in fields such as organizational studies, marketing, public health, and cybersecurity to analyze and improve communication, collaboration, and decision-making within networks.
Shervan K Shahhian
LIBERTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION 