TY - JOUR AU - Hampton, Keith PY - 2010/04/26 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - COMM/SOCI 481 – Social Networks JF - TRAILS: Teaching Resources and Innovations Library for Sociology JA - TRAILS VL - IS - SE - DO - UR - https://trails.asanet.org/article/view/commsoci-481-social-networks SP - AB - Social network analysis is the study of the patterns of social relations. Network analysis examines how the structure of social relations allocates resources, constrains behavior, and channels social change. It has applications in the study of friendship, communities, social support, Internet use, organizational behavior, mental and physical health, and the diffusion of information. This seminar takes a non-mathematical approach to the study of network theories and methods. It is an introduction to the fundamental concepts of social structure, including: network size, diversity, density, centrality, multiplexity, frequency of contact, tie duration, and tie strength. The course focuses on how network structure is related to everyday life, such as health, access to social support, job attainment, and the spread of information. Particular attention is given to the role of communications media in facilitating interpersonal connectivity (face-to-face, telephone, and new media), and the role of information and communication technologies (i.e. the Internet) in social support. Students will critically examine empirical studies, formulate theories of how networks influence behavior and how behavior influences networks, and test theories through the use of network methods. ER -