Identification of substructures in complex networks using formal concept analysis

Abstract

Purpose In recent years, the increasing complexity of the hyper-connected world demands new approaches for social network analysis. The main challenges are to find new computational methods that allow the representation, characterization and analysis of these social networks. Nowadays, formal concept analysis (FCA) is considered an alternative to identifying conceptual structures in a social network. In this FCA-based work, this paper aims to show the potential of building computational models based on implications to represent and analyze two-mode networks. Design/methodology/approach This study proposes an approach to find three important substructures in social networks such as conservative access patterns, minimum behavior patterns and canonical access patterns. The present study approach considered as a case study a database containing the access logs of a cable internet service provider. Findings The result allows us to uncover access patterns, conservative access patterns and minimum access behavior patterns. Furthermore, through the use of implications sets, the relationships between event-type elements (websites) in two-mode networks are analyzed. This paper discusses, in a generic form, the adopted procedures that can be extended to other social networks. Originality/value A new approach is proposed for the identification of conservative behavior in two-mode networks. The proper implications needed to handle minimum behavior pattern in two-mode networks is also proposed to be analyzed. The one-item conclusion implications are easy to understand and can be more relevant to anyone looking for one particular website access pattern. Finally, a method for a canonical behavior representation in two-mode networks using a canonical set of implications (steam base), which present a minimal set of implications without loss of information, is proposed.