Post 3, SNA practise assignment

1. Describe briefly what is social network analysis (SNA).

Social Network Analysis is a technique to utilize ideas of social science study of social network to investigate the relationship of a large group of social participants. It involves the usage of mathematical matrix and calculations to create a series of metrics as indicators of various social activity level.

In the nowadays, SNA can be used in software method to study the Social Network online platform and analyze the relationship and activities in the virtual world.

2. In a social network below. the SNA analysis would better illustrate its relationship.

(a). Describe the above social network according to your best knowledge.

From the above relation graph, we can see that besides Eva, the other four people are all closely connected. Thus it is a heavy connection relationship between the four people. If Carol and Bob connect, the four people will be fully connected. For Eva, she only connects with David. Thus David is a bridge for her to reach out into the rest of group. Thus in my observation, Eva does not belong to the 4 heavy connected social network. But she can improve her social connection from David. And she should be encouraged to connect through David to the other three people. Also Carol and Bob can both establish connection through Alice and David.

(b). Within this social network, who is the most influential? (What SNA measurements you learned from the lectures can help you to solve this problem? Why you choose those measurements? Show the readers how you identify this person by computing the corresponding indexes.)

David is most influential. I can use Between Centrality to solve this Problem.

I choose it because according the lecture "Between Centrality is a measure of the potential for control as an actor who is high in “betweenness” is able to act as a gatekeeper controlling the flow of resources (information, money, power, e.g.) between the alters that he or she connects" Thus by choosing this measure, I can know who is most influential.

Let's calculate the Between Centrality of this network

For Alice, there are total 7 shortest path for others to inter connect. Alice on 1 path. Thus its BC value is 1/7 = 0.143

For Bob, there are total 6 shortest path for others to inter connect. Bob on 0 path. Thus its BC value is 0

For Carol, there are total 6 shortest path for others to inter connect. Carol on 0 path. Thus its BC value is 0

For David, there are total 7 shortest path for others to inter connect. David on 4 path. Thus its BC value is 4/7 = 0.571

For Eva, there are total 7 shortest path for others to inter connect. Eva on 0 path. Thus its BC value is 0

Therefore, from the calculation, David has the largest value in Betweenness Centrality. He is the most influential person in this network.

(c).Suppose you are conducting a research on the social network of these five students and the above results are obtained, discuss the findings and their implications based on your data.

The finding reveals that David is the most influential in the network, he controls the connection of Eva to the rest of the group. Also Alice is second in influence. She has the influence over the connection of Bob and Carol. For Bob and Carol, if they wants to connect with each other and with Eva, they need to go through Alice and David.

The implication of this analysis is that David can play a better role in helping Eva to connect with the other 3 people. If it is a social network, he can introduce Eva to the other three. Then this network will be much balanced in relationship. Also for Eva she should take a more active role in social interaction and needs to establish further reaches to other students.