Self vs. Altercentric Selection into Structural Holes and the Psychological States of Brokers

Abstract

From a cross-sectional view of social network structure, bridging positions are seen to be an asset due to the ability to receive information more quickly and arbitrage it across groups. However, we know relatively little about how ego’s trajectory into a structural hole impacts their psychological state. Seen from the point of view of an individual moving forward in social time and space, entry into a structural hole might be perceived to be less of a static resource than a move away from the comfort of an insulated group into less familiar social territory. I use a comprehensive database of over 30 million calendar meetings to measure changes in employee meeting networks, and show that within-person increases in network brokerage are associated with increased social risk aversion (avoidance goal orientation). On the other hand, moving into more closed, cohesive communities is associated with increased confidence about taking social risks. To control for self-selection into bridging positions, I estimate network brokerage separately for incoming and outgoing meeting invitations, and show that those who are altercentrically selected experience increased uncertainty, whereas, those who self-select, or actively bridge the structural hole are less impacted.