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A Guided Tour to (Real-Life) Social Network Elicitation

Author

Listed:
  • Pablo Branas-Garza

    (Middlesex University London)

  • Ramon Cobo-Reyes

    (Universidad de Granada)

  • Natalia Jimenez

    (Universidad de Granada)

  • Giovanni Pontiy

    (Universidad de Alicante and LUISS Guido Carli, Roma)

Abstract

Limited attention has been devoted on how (real-life) social networks are elicited and mapped, even less from the viewpoint of mechanism design. This paper surveys the few mechanisms that have been proposed by the experimental literature to this purpose. These mechanisms differ in their incentive structure, as well as in the means of reward they employ. We compare these elicitation devices on the basis of the estimated differences in the characteristics of the induced networks, such as the number of (mutual) links, correspondence and accuracy. Our main conclusion is that the elicited network architecture is itself dependent on the nature (and the structure) of the incentives. This, in turn, should provide the social scientist with guidelines on the most appropriate device to use, depending on the research objectives.

Suggested Citation

  • Pablo Branas-Garza & Ramon Cobo-Reyes & Natalia Jimenez & Giovanni Pontiy, 2013. "A Guided Tour to (Real-Life) Social Network Elicitation," Working Papers 13-21, Chapman University, Economic Science Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:chu:wpaper:13-21
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation

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