The role of reciprocation in social network formation, with an application to blogging
Abstract
This paper deals with the role of reciprocation in the formation of individuals' social networks. We follow the activity of a panel of bloggers over more than a year and investigate the extent to which initiating a relation brings about its reciprocation. We adapt a standard capital investment model to study how reciprocation affects the build-up of the individual social capital of bloggers, as measured by their links and interactions with others. This allows us to measure the role of content production and relationship building in the dynamics of online social networks and to distinguish between the social networking and media aspects of blogging.Download Info
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Paper provided by Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Max-Planck-Institute of Economics in its series Jena Economic Research Papers with number 2012-031.Length:
Date of creation: 22 Jun 2012
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:jrp:jrpwrp:2012-031
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Keywords: Blogs; Friendship; LiveJournal; Reciprocation; Social Capital; Social Networks;Other versions of this item:
- Alexia Gaudeul & Caterina Giannetti, 2011. "The role of reciprocation in social network formation, with an application to blogging," Jena Economic Research Papers 2011-015, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Max-Planck-Institute of Economics.
- Gaudeul, Alexia & Giannetti, Caterina, 2011. "The role of reciprocation in social network formation, with an application to blogging," MPRA Paper 34094, University Library of Munich, Germany.
- C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Longitudinal Data; Spatial Time Series
- D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation
- L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media
This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:
- NEP-ALL-2012-07-08 (All new papers)
- NEP-EVO-2012-07-08 (Evolutionary Economics)
- NEP-NET-2012-07-08 (Network Economics)
- NEP-SOC-2012-07-08 (Social Norms & Social Capital)
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