Social Networks Research Articles

HOST COUNTRY LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AMONG FIRST-GENERATION YAGLIDERE IMMIGRANTS IN THE USA AND THE MAINTENANCE OF THE TURKISH LANGUAGE IN SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS VIA SOCIAL NETWORKS

This article investigated the effect of the social networks of Yaglidere Turkish immigrants on language acquisition and the maintenance of heritage languages by successive generations in the USA. The study was conducted in the cities of Patterson and Burlington between January 2018 and July 2018. This research used qualitative research methods to analyze ethnographic interviews and participant observations. Data were collected using participant observation and informal talks with immigrants conducted in different informal settings such as participants’ houses, their restaurants, and other cafes in Burlington and Paterson. The interviews lasted from 40 to 90 minutes. Questions were open-ended and focused on the role of social networks in the acquisition of English language skills. In order to analyze the resulting data, the audio recordings were transcribed and translated into English. The interviews were first transcribed into Microsoft Word files and then imported into Maxqda, a software program for qualitative analysis, where the data were coded for study. The results indicated that even though social networks have destructive effects among first-generation immigrants, they have undeniable constructive effects on language maintenance in other generations. So, what is destructive for the first generation turns into constructive for the other generations.

How the educational level of confidants impacts our political attitudes?

Abstract The role of an individual’s educational level in shaping their political attitudes is very well documented. Also, social networks formed by both our strong and weak ties are generally segregated by educational level. Dove-tailing these two observations raised the question of whether the educational level of one’s confidants also independently impacts an individual’s political attitudes; however, this question has gotten hardly any attention. Therefore, we theorize and study the role of education in the core discussion network, including the question under what conditions the influence of our confidant’s education on our political attitudes is especially strong. Empirically, we use a random intercept cross-lagged panel model to disentangle selection effects from the influence effects of interest. We find a small but robust influence effect of confidants’ educational attainment on political attitudes of ego. However, confidants’ influence does not depend on the degree of dyadic political discussion, confidant newness, and dyadic similarity.

Analysis of spatial correlation network of urban digital economy in China

ABSTRACT In the context of the digital economy, the structure of China's urban spatial correlation network is undergoing profound changes. Based on social network analysis, this study analyzes the overall network characteristics, city network status and influencing factors of the spatial network of digital economy in Chinese cities. The study finds that China's digital economy presents a complex network of spatial connections, with increasing network strength, a clear ‘core-edge’ hierarchy, and a stable network structure. The developed cities in the east are the center of the network, the less developed cities in the east undertake the function of network radiation, and the cities in the west are located at the edge of the network. Technological innovation, industrial structure, human capital and urbanization all contribute to the spatial relevance of the digital economy. This study helps cities work together to amplify the digital dividend and narrow the digital divide.

How Do Informal Actors Work? Between Voter Lists and Social Pressure in Elections

Vote brokerage, as a form of brokerage activity, would have a clear and measurable commodity. Candidates will not hire vote broker when commodity can not be measured. Similarly, vote broker will not get job if there is no clear commodity that can be offered to candidate. That logic have began this study. Facts, on field indicated the debate about whether commodities (voters) actually were measured. Some brokers registered voters, and others did not, destabilizing the logic. Is vote brokerage measured and unmeasured? Do both have different measurement logic? In what did the differeneces work?. To answer these questions, I made observations and interviews in Pati at 2011-2020, where vote broker called as Sabet, and in Demak at 2015-2020, where vote broker called as Gapit. Findings, vote brokerage always measurable on two methods. Brokerage was based on list of voters name, and other was based on influence that a broker will have over voters in his respective social network. First method led to distributing money or valuable goods to voters on the list. Second method led to using social pressure to influence voters. Different type of voters made candidates assign such divergent strategies and brokerage activities to different brokers in their efforts to win elections.

Navigating hidden borderlands: the role of cultural heritage for black African refugee students in American higher education

ABSTRACT In this conceptual paper, we advance a scholarly conversation about Black African refugee students in the United States. Although agreeing on a universal definition of a refugee is conceptually challenging, for the sake of focus, we define refugees as: individuals who have encountered forced migration, who have lived in the U.S. for less than five years, and who are not yet eligible for U.S. citizenship. While there are also Asian, European, Latin American, and South American refugee groups living in the United States, our paper focuses on Black African refugee students because the anti-Black racism of U.S. society positions them distinctly. Overall, we observe that Black African refugees exist in a metaphorical borderland that hides and (dis)locates their existence. While living within this borderland, Black African refugees engage in different mobilities and tap into their social network capital through cultural heritage. Cultural heritage, which includes both tangible and intangible artifacts, can be a source of psychological and social resilience, buttressing resettlement and reconstruction of identity. We also argue that Black African refugee students exhibit agentic, encouraged, and necessitated hiddenness. We conclude with a closer look into how this population may help higher education scholars arrive at liberatory possibilities that have implications for higher education research. Specifically, we recommend explicitly focusing on refugee student needs, crafting a culturally responsive curriculum and instructions, and facilitating relationships with refugee-supporting community organizations.

Social isolation induces addictive behavior and increases release of dopamine in the <i>nucleus accumbens</i> in response to stimulation of the positive reinforcing zone

The study of the role of social isolation in the pathogenesis of addictive behavior disorders is an important medical and biological problem. Of particular importance are the limitations of social experience in ontogenesis. This work makes an attempt to find a connection between social isolation in ontogenesis and impulsive-compulsive behavior, as an indicator of the premorbid background for gaming and other forms of behavioral addictions. The mechanisms of addictive behavior in rats reared in isolation (IS) were investigated by analyzing the extracellular release of dopamine in response to stimulation of the positive reinforcing zone. Before the experiments, male rats were kept in individual cages from the 21st day of birth to the 90th day. To study elements of addictive behavior, a variant of the Iowa Gambling Task in a 3-arm maze and a method of developing compulsive overeating using intermittent consumption of high-calorie foods were used. To study compulsive behavior, a marble test was used against the background of withdrawal from a high-calorie diet. Surgeries were performed to implant electrodes into the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens in rats exhibiting elements of addictive behavior in the 3-arm maze. These animals were then trained to respond to VTA self-stimulation. Dopamine release was recorded telemetrically in freely moving rats in response to electrical stimulation of the VTA self-stimulation zone. Fast scan cyclic voltammetry was used to determine changes in dopamine levels in the extracellular environment of the nucleus accumbens. IS entered less into the arm with a high degree of probability but with a low reward, and entered more in the arm with a low degree of probability, but with a high reward, which is associated with the appearance of impulsivity in behavior. In the model of compulsive overeating, the number of approaches to the feeder in IS increased, and against the background of withdrawal of high-calorie food, IS were more active in the marble test. In IS exhibiting elements of addictive behavior in the 3-arm maze, the content of extracellular dopamine in response to electrical stimulation of the VTA self-stimulation zones did not reveal any differences compared to the control group of rats with addictive behavior in the maze. At the same time, IS exhibiting elements of addictive behavior in the maze showed a more pronounced dopamine response to a complex stimulus: a conditioned signal used during maze learning light + VTA stimulation. Thus, rearing in the IS causes an increase in dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens in response to stimulation of the positive reinforcement area associated with addictive behaviors: impulsivity and compulsivity. A conclusion is drawn about the prospects of studying the extracellular release of dopamine and assesses addictive behavior disorders caused by limited social contacts in ontogenesis.

Social networks from dailies: the observer’s point of view

In this paper, we explore the hypothesis that the social network described by an observer in a written document provides a discernible cross-section of the underlying social network. Specifically, we propose that the subnetwork described by the observer is extracted from large social network with a Barabási-Albert structure, following two key premises: (1) the observer identifies and reports nodes and interactions in his local environment, and (2) the observer records the most relevant nodes—those with a high number of connections—as well as the most significant portions of their local environment. We test this hypothesis using personal dailies written in New Spain and Mexico between 1776 and 1873. We compare the structure of these dailies networks to one depicted by a typical subnetwork of a Barabási-Albert network, obtained following the two premises mentioned above. To support our findings, we compare them to the social networks described in two well-known novels. In this work, we implicitly assume the hypothesis that there is a complete, non-subjective social network, including our observer, with a Barabási-Albert structure. The evolution of this underlying social network can shed light on the dynamics of a society over time. Our approach could give place to indicators of the changes in the structure of this enveloping network. This is especially important since, although our historical sources do not offer sufficient data to reconstruct the processes in their entirety, the approach could supply clues or fragments from which we could understand the structure and dynamics of societies over time.

A Study on the Types of Social Networks and Influential Factors of Women in Shanghai's Migrant Population--Social Network Theory Perspective

Abstract: Female migrants face a double vulnerability due to their urban/rural status and gender, making it challenging for them to integrate into their new communities. Women in the migrant population are doubly disadvantaged in terms of both urban-rural and gender-based social categorization. This group faces difficulties integrating into the community, including limited social resources, cultural activities, and social support. This paper examines the social networks of female migrants in Shanghai, using social network theory as the framework and data collected from semi-structured interviews. The study explores the types and characteristics of their social networks and how strong and weak ties affect their community integration. The findings indicate that strong ties dominate the social networks of migrant women in Shanghai. However, the absence of weak ties, which are crucial for accessing new information, resources, and opportunities, hinders their integration into the community.

The Essence and Structure of the Concept “Professional Education of Students” Through Social Networks and Digital Media Platforms

The article is devoted to the disclosure of the concept of professional education in the era of digitalization, the importance of media platforms and social networks in preparing students for successful professional activity. Professional education is the basis of the educational process, which plays an important role in the development of society. It concerns not only students’ professional competencies, but also their personal qualities necessary for sustainable development in the conditions of modern economy and social environment. The concept of professional education concerns individuals and has significant implications both at the level of the country and in the global community. The main aspects of the social benefits of professional education are its contribution to the development of the economy, social stability, reduction of social constraints, the possibility for each person to achieve success in professional activities, the formation of civic responsibility and social solidarity. Thus, professional education contributes to the emergence of professionals who can adapt to the changing conditions of the labor market caused by new technologies, innovation and automation. Countries that pay attention to professional education have higher rates of competitiveness on the world stage and ensure stable economic development. Professional education helps to shape social norms and values and to adapt to the challenges of the digital age. Innovations contribute to cultural and economic growth, and professional education helps to develop these qualities in students. The article discusses the objectivity of lecturers’ and students’ interest in media platforms and social networks as new forms of professional education, training and expansion of educational space. The objective regularity and interest of researchers in studying this topic are highlighted.Materials and methods of research. The basis of the study is formed by domestic and foreign, scientific and research, philosophical and pedagogical literature, normative-legal acts, laws and regulations of the Russian Federation in the field of education and upbringing of youth. In the study of sources and materials on this topic, the methods of theoretical analysis were used. The analysis of conceptual and theoretical apparatus, comparison, generalization, synthesis, sample surveys were carried out. The experience of work on professional education in the system of higher education was studied and generalized. A review of published research papers and articles on the topic of professional education using media platforms was made in order to analyze the existing approaches, identify the main trends and determine the prospects for further research.Results. As a result of the study, the fundamental philosophical ideas of upbringing are considered. The aspect of formation of the concepts of “education” and “professional education” is studied; definitions of these terms and their interrelation in civil and moral formation of personality are given. The role of professional education in the training of students as future specialists is reflected. The role of social media in the context of the educational process is highlighted. The experience of social media researchers in professional education and educational process is studied and analyzed, and the rating of these concepts is compiled.Conclusion. The conducted analysis and conclusions of the research in the field of professional education can be used in pedagogical and scientific activities on the problem under consideration. The general and distinctive features of the concepts of “education” and “professional education” are deduced. The relevance of professional education through digital platforms is shown. The research prospects on this topic and social usefulness of professional education through social networks and media platforms within the country and the entire world community are proved.

Social health, activity behaviors, and quality of life among young adult cancer survivors: Protocol for a prospective observational study.

Approximately 85,000 adolescent and young adults (AYAs; age 15-39) are diagnosed with cancer in the United States annually. Experiencing a cancer diagnosis as an AYA can substantially impact social connections and social health. This paper describes the design and protocol of an observational study to prospectively assess social health and its association with physical activity and quality of life among AYAs after a cancer diagnosis. The study uses a longitudinal observational design to prospectively explore the relationships between social health and activity behaviors (physical activity and sedentary time) at four clinically significant timepoints over the course of 12 months among AYAs newly diagnosed with cancer. Patients are recruited at three hospitals and surveyed at each time period. Multiple dimensions of social health are assessed including social support, social roles, loneliness, social anxiety, and social networks. A wrist accelerometer is worn for one week at each assessment period. Change in social network structures will be analyzed using egocentric social network analysis. Structural equation models will be fitted to analyze the relationship between social constructs and physical activity. Findings from this study will address gaps in our understanding of the impact of a cancer diagnosis on multiple dimensions of social health for AYAs and the potential role social factors play in physical activity and quality of life. Understanding these processes will inform age-tailored interventions to improve health and quality of life outcomes for this at-risk population.

The role of social media data in enhancing B2B omni-channel marketing efforts in small businesses

PurposeThis paper explores the role of social media data in enhancing business-to-business (B2B) omni-channel marketing (OCM) efforts in small businesses. B2B marketing strategy is explored through the lens of each business’s marketing manager’s insights. A novel social media data visualisation tool for B2B marketing campaign development is presented, adding contextualisation to OCM activities.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory study uses the qualitative interview method to consider the research question: what role does social media data play in enhancing B2B marketing efforts across the omni-channel in small businesses? The paper presents the findings of 25 in-depth interviews with small business marketing managers from a range of B2B industries, guided by a literature-informed interview template. Insights are developed using an open coding approach via traditional pen and paper methods, underpinned by thematic analysis.FindingsSmall business marketing managers recognise the importance of social media data in enhancing B2B OCM efforts in their organisations. They acknowledge online marketing channels as paths to enhanced brand awareness and relationship building and recognise social media’s growing influence on B2B customers’ decision-making processes. There is a dichotomy between the professed importance of social media data and its use among some small business marketing managers in their B2B OCM efforts. Others are capturing these data and integrating it with other data resources, thereby embedding social media data as a strategic resource within their business. Findings indicate that it is only in these small businesses that OCM strategy is evolving to meet B2B customer expectations of an integrated OCM experience, informed by social media data, across all channels and touchpoints.Research limitations/implicationsThis work is of particular interest to marketing managers within small businesses seeking to improve their B2B marketing efforts across the omni-channel. It is of value to all B2B enterprises, given the rate of advancement of the B2B social media marketing landscape.Originality/valueRecognised as an emerging area, research relating to B2B OCM is limited. This paper provides empirical data on OCM efforts in small businesses from a B2B perspective and considers the role of social media data in enhancing marketing efforts across the omni-channel. Underpinned by social network theory and based on insights gleaned from fieldwork, a social media data visualisation tool is presented, the first of its kind in this sphere.

Unpaid caregivers' process of collaborating with others during older adult hospital-to-home transitions: A grounded theory study.

Unpaid/family caregivers provide support critical to older adult hospital-to-home transitions, but lack time and preparation. There is limited evidence regarding important collaboration for caregivers during the transition. The objective was to examine caregivers' process of collaborating with others, including other family members, healthcare professionals, and community, social, and professional networks, during older adult hospital-to-home transitions. This study utilized grounded theory methodology. One-on-one interviews were conducted with unpaid/family caregivers of an older adult during a hospital-to-home transition. Data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding. Participants (N = 16) relationship to the older adult included: partners (n = 8), friends (n = 4), children (n = 3), and siblings (n = 1). Most were female (n = 14) and living with the older adult (n = 10). A conceptual model was developed which illustrates participants' process through 3 stages: 1) identifying and learning the caregiver role, 2) collaborating with others to provide care and support to the older adult, while supporting themselves, during the hospital-to-home transition, and 3) supporting the older adult's progress in recovering independence or planning to provide long-term care and support. Participants described multiple approaches to collaborating with others: caring on own, caring in network, caring with healthcare professionals, and caring with social and professional networks. Implications include the need to recognize and promote utilization of care networks, as it may help address negative outcomes associated with caregiving. We also identified opportunities to further leverage caregivers' social/professional networks and increase focus on caregiver needs in healthcare encounters.

Newsmaking Criminology in the 21st Century: Forming the Public Opinion under the New Reality

Objective: to study the concept of newsmaking criminology and its relevance in the current conditions of mass media development.Methods: the methodological basis of the work consists of general scientific, social, and special-legal methods of cognition. The conducted research is based on the dialectical method (in determining the general direction of the study), methods of formal logic (analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, analogy), system method (in comparing and generalizing the information collected for the research).Results: the functions of newsmaking criminology in its classical manifestation, as well as its additional functions in the study of mass media in the Internet, were revealed. It is suggested that with the emergence of the World Wide Web, the relevance of newsmaking criminology has increased: social networks, blogs and video hosting as alternative media have a strong influence on public opinion, while an unlimited number of people have access to content generation, contrary to traditional media. Many states understand the importance of interaction between mass media and law enforcement agencies and are actively implementing their methods of promoting newsmaking criminology online. This article points out the risks that arise in media coverage of law enforcement and crime. One of such risks is the cancel culture, which is spontaneous, unpredictable in nature, and may jeopardize the quality of life of the victim or business reputation and activity of organizations.Scientific novelty: the functions performed by newsmaking criminology in the study of traditional and alternative media were identified. So far, such doctrine has not been sufficiently researched taking into account modern forms of mass communication. Examples of interaction between law enforcement agencies of different states and the media were analyzed.Practical significance: the study contributes to understanding the correlation between criminological phenomena and modern media platforms. The Internet and social networks provide new channels of information exchange that differ significantly from traditional media such as printed media or television.

Who is (not) in the room? An epistemic justice perspective on low-carbon transport transitions

ABSTRACT Car-centric planning exacerbates the climate crisis, compromises public health, and erodes public space. Street-space reallocation programmes, which redistribute road space from cars to active travel, leisure and urban green, are an important strategy to respond to these challenges. In line with a wider shift towards collaborative planning, many of these programmes include public participation. However, participatory planning approaches face criticism for being exclusionary, favouring a loud or privileged minority. Following an epistemic justice perspective, this paper invites to consider the question: ‘who is (not) in the room?’ Based on in-depth qualitative analysis of the participatory processes linked to a pedestrianisation scheme in Berlin, we focus on the link between non-participation in invited participatory spaces and the emergence of claimed spaces of participation. We found all participants to have participated in one of them. The decision of how to participate is a complex interplay between the relevance of the scheme and the feeling of being heard. We show that it seems irrelevant whether this interplay applies to oneself or to one’s social network. Based on our findings, we argue that epistemically just participatory planning approaches to transitions need to go beyond invited spaces to include claimed spaces both spatially and temporally.

Context-Aware Recommender Systems: Exploring the Role of Time, Location, and Social Influence in Personalized Recommendations

Recommender systems have become a cornerstone of personalized user experiences across various domains, from e-commerce to entertainment. While traditional models focus on user-item interactions, they often overlook critical contextual information that could significantly enhance prediction accuracy. In this paper, we explore the concept of context-aware recommender systems, which integrate temporal, geospatial, and social context to improve recommendation quality. Temporal context considers factors such as time of day, seasonality, or the user's activity history, while geospatial context leverages the user's location or proximity to items, enhancing the relevance of recommendations. Additionally, social context incorporates user interactions with social networks or communities, enriching the understanding of preferences through peer influence and shared interests. We examine various techniques for incorporating these contexts into recommendation algorithms, including hybrid models, deep learning approaches, and context-sensitive matrix factorization. Furthermore, we address the challenges in balancing the complexity of these models with the need for real-time recommendations and scalability. Finally, we present empirical evaluations on real-world datasets, demonstrating that context-aware models significantly outperform traditional recommender systems in terms of prediction accuracy, diversity, and user satisfaction. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive framework for developing context-aware recommender systems and outline key areas for future research, such as integrating emerging contextual dimensions like sentiment and emotional state.

Triangle-induced and degree-wise sampling over large graphs in social networks

Triangle-induced and degree-wise sampling over large graphs in social networks

Research of opportunities for the ecosystem approach to career planning by students at the State University of Management

The article presents the results of studying the possibilities of an ecosystem approach to career planning by students at the State University of Management (hereinafter referred to as SUM). At first, the gap between the level of practical training of graduates of Russian universities and the requirements of employers has been actualised. Then, the need for joint efforts of all interested labour market participants to create conditions for students’ conscious planning of career growth at all stages of education is emphasised. The experience of intra-university cooperation using the STC (student team consulting) method between the marketing department and practical training department in 2022–2023 has showed that solving this problem involves integrating, on an ecosystem basis, activities for the study of professional academic disciplines, project-based learning, practical training, and employment. As an experiment, 6 student consulting teams have solved a set of interrelated tasks, including the creation and ongoing maintenance of the Career Centre page in the VK social network, advertising campaigns and interviews at “Career Day in Transport and Logistics”, surveys on the employment of graduates and assessment of student satisfaction with practical training, analytical review of the labour market in Russia in 2020–2023 with a report at the All-Russian scientific and practical conference, examination of 5 ideas for marketing research projects in the field of career planning by students of the SUM with testing in social networks and assessments of the influence of actors in its ecosystem. In conclusion, based on the results of the research, the directions for the ecosystem approach to career planning by students at the SUM are formulated.

Data mining in AI: Evolution, applications, and future directions

Abstract. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the evolution and impact of data mining in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), with a particular focus on its application within social and information networks. It traces the origins of AI back to the 1956 Dartmouth Conference, highlighting the subsequent advancements in technologies such as machine learning and data mining that have fueled AI's growth. The paper explores the multifaceted applications of data mining in various sectors including healthcare, transportation, and industrial manufacturing, and delves into the challenges and innovations in recommendation systems, matrix factorization, and intelligent control of autonomous vehicles in intelligent transportation systems. The study emphasizes the significance of distributed algorithms and big data processing frameworks in enhancing the efficiency and applicability of data mining techniques.

Simplifying Distributed Neural Network Training on Massive Graphs: Randomized Partitions Improve Model Aggregation

Distributed Graph Neural Network (GNN) training facilitates learning on massive graphs that surpass the storage and computational capabilities of a single machine. Traditional distributed frameworks strive for performance parity with centralized training by maximally recovering cross-instance node dependencies, relying either on inter-instance communication or periodic fallback to centralized training. However, these processes create overhead and constrain the scalability of the framework. In this work, we propose a streamlined framework for distributed GNN training that eliminates these costly operations, yielding improved scalability, convergence speed, and performance over state-of-the-art approaches. Our framework (1) comprises independent trainers that asynchronously learn local models from locally-available parts of the training graph, and (2) synchronizes these local models only through periodic (time-based) model aggregation. Contrary to prevailing belief, our theoretical analysis shows that it is not essential to maximize the recovery of cross-instance node dependencies to achieve performance parity with centralized training. Instead, our framework leverages randomized assignment of nodes or super-nodes (i.e., collections of original nodes) to partition the training graph in order to enhance data uniformity and minimize discrepancies in gradient and loss function across instances. Experiments on social and e-commerce networks with up to 1.3 billion edges show that our proposed framework achieves state-of-the-art performance and 2.31x speedup compared to the fastest baseline, despite using less training data.

Awareness of Social Engineering Attacks and their Relation to the Ability to Persuade among users of Social Networking Sites

Awareness of Social Engineering Attacks and their Relation to the Ability to Persuade among users of Social Networking Sites