Journal Article

Empirical Models of Social Learning in a Large, Evolving Network

Çağlayan, Bora, Henry, Adam Douglas, Bener, Ayşe Başar, Prałat, Paweł

2016

Overview

This paper advances theories of social learning through an empirical examination of how social networks change over time. Social networks are important for learning because they constrain individuals' access to information about the behaviors and cognitions of other people. Using data on a large social network of mobile device users over a one-month time period, we test three hypotheses: 1) attraction homophily causes individuals to form ties on the basis of attribute similarity, 2) aversion homophily causes individuals to delete existing ties on the basis of attribute dissimilarity, and 3) social influence causes individuals to adopt the attributes of others they share direct ties with. Statistical models offer varied degrees of support for all three hypotheses and show that these mechanisms are more complex than assumed in prior work. Although homophily is normally thought of as a process of attraction, people also avoid relationships with others who are different. These mechanisms have distinct effects on network structure. While social influence does help explain behavior, people tend to follow global trends more than they follow their friends.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Access to information / Algorithms / Analysis / Attraction / Aversion / Biology and Life Sciences / Climate change / Communication / Computer and Information Sciences / Cooperation / Empirical models / Human behavior / Humans / Hypotheses / Information dissemination / Laboratories / Learning / Mathematical models / Mobile communication systems / Mobile devices / Models, Statistical / Models, Theoretical / Physical Sciences / Science / Segregation / Social aspects / Social behavior / Social discrimination learning / Social interactions / Social Learning / Social Networking / Social networks / Social organization / Social psychology / Social research / Social Sciences / Statistical analysis / Statistical models / Studies / Wireless networks