A generalized theory of preferential linking

DOI10.1016/J.PHYSA.2014.08.026zbMATH Open1402.91627arXiv1301.0189OpenAlexW2056466024MaRDI QIDQ1783206FDOQ1783206

Authors: Haibo Hu, Xuan Liu, Jinli Guo, Xiaofan Wang 

Publication date: 20 September 2018

Published in: Physica A (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: There are diverse mechanisms driving the evolution of social networks. A key open question dealing with understanding their evolution is: How various preferential linking mechanisms produce networks with different features? In this paper we first empirically study preferential linking phenomena in an evolving online social network, find and validate the linear preference. We propose an analyzable model which captures the real growth process of the network and reveals the underlying mechanism dominating its evolution. Furthermore based on preferential linking we propose a generalized model reproducing the evolution of online social networks, present unified analytical results describing network characteristics for 27 preference scenarios, and explore the relation between preferential linking mechanism and network features. We find that within the framework of preferential linking analytical degree distributions can only be the combinations of finite kinds of functions which are related to rational, logarithmic and inverse tangent functions, and extremely complex network structure will emerge even for very simple sublinear preferential linking. This work not only provides a verifiable origin for the emergence of various network characteristics in social networks, but bridges the micro individuals' behaviors and the global organization of social networks.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1301.0189

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zbMATH Keywords

modelnetwork evolutiononline social networkpreferential linking

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Social networks; opinion dynamics (91D30)

Cites Work

• Power-law distributions in empirical data
• Statistical mechanics of complex networks
• Emergence of Scaling in Random Networks
• MODELLING COLLABORATION NETWORKS BASED ON NONLINEAR PREFERENTIAL ATTACHMENT
• Correlations in bipartite collaboration networks
• Information dynamics shape the sexual networks of Internet-mediated prostitution

Cited In (9)

• Topological features of online social networks
• Analysis of large-scale social and information networks
• The complex networks with random initializing and preferential linking
• Influence of personal preferences on link dynamics in social networks
• Relevance and importance preferential attachment
• Structure of growing complex networks coupling with the friendship and contact relations
• The Strong Linkage Principle
• Stability of degree distributions of social networks
• Preferential linking in the growth of online social networks

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