Social Network Density Research Articles

ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL CAPITAL AND ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION OF FARMERS IN NIGERIA

This study aimed at analysing social capital and the entrepreneurial intention of farmers in Nigeria. The study specifically investigated the effect of social capital on Attitude towards Behaviour (ATB) of farmers; and Perceived Social Norms (PSN) of farmers. This study employed survey. 120 questionnaires were mailed to respondents, and 158 were physically administered. The study analysed data using both descriptive and inferential analytical technique (regression analysis). Social trust, network density, network size and demographic diversity were used as proxies of social capital, and ATB of farmers and PSN of farmers as entrepreneurial intention. Finding showed that network size, network and social trust have significant positive effects on ATB of farmers in Nigeria, and that demographic diversity has significant negative effects on ATB of farmers in Nigeria. Furthermore, finding showed that network density and social trust have significant negative effects on PSN of farmers in Nigeria. The study concluded that entrepreneurial intention of farmers depends on social capital. The study recommended that network size, network density and social trust within the social capital should be improved and sustained, and that farmers should take advantage of network size and demographic diversity as these contribute to PSN.

Social Network Density Mediates the Association Between Problematic Social Media Use and Depressive Symptoms

Previous studies have indicated that problematic social media use (PSMU) is positively related to depressive symptoms. However, the potential mechanisms underlying this relationship are not well understood. For example, prior research found that depressive symptoms are related to one’s social network structure, such as network size and density. Therefore, we examined whether one’s social network size and density mediate the relationship between PSMU and depressive symptoms. We conducted an in-person survey to collect measures of PSMU, social network size and density, and depressive symptoms. Our analysis showed that there was a positive relationship between PSMU and depressive symptoms, which was mediated by social network density but not size. Specifically, the greater one’s PSMU, the less dense their social network, and the greater their depressive symptoms. Our research suggests that PSMU may affect how individuals maintain their social connections with others, which may affect mental health. Implications were discussed.

Is bank misconduct related to social capital? Evidence from U.S. banks

This paper investigates whether social capital plays a role in bank misconduct. I find that U.S. banks headquartered in high social capital areas, as indicated by the strength of civic norms and the density of social networks, are less likely to face enforcement actions. This relationship is mainly significant for banks with a lower geographical dispersion, and it holds in a range of robustness and endogeneity tests. I run additional tests based on classes of enforcement actions, components of social capital, risk-taking, opacity, and bank actions associated with negative externalities. These tests deliver results supporting the idea that the main findings of the paper are largely attributed to social capital's role in exerting external discipline, which prevents misconduct-related behaviors in banks.

Evaluation of China's double-carbon energy policy based on the policy modeling consistency index

The clean energy transition is crucial for achieving China's double-carbon goal. With the promulgation of a series of policies, analyzing the energy policies in this policy framework is essential. This paper identifies 32 current effective and representative energy policies through collection and screening. After establishing a Policy Modeling Consistency (PMC) index, this paper designs the corresponding text-mining dictionary through the TF-IDF algorithm and uses regular expressions to retrieve, filter, and match policy texts. The results show that the average PMC score of all policies selected in this paper is 5.23, and the overall PMC surface is relatively smooth. The scores of primary variables are relatively balanced. For the future, it is essential to focus on optimizing utility level (P3), policy type (P5), policy receptors (P8), and policy areas (P9) in energy policy formulation. Most importantly, the social network density of energy policy issuers is low now; thus, diversity and close cooperation need to be strengthened.

Using Deep Learning Approaches to Quantify Landscape Preference of the Chinese Grand Canal: An Empirical Case Study of the Yangzhou Ancient Canal

Landscape preference emerges from the dynamic interaction between individuals and their environment and plays a pivotal role in the preservation and enhancement of the Chinese Grand Canal’s scenery. As a vast linear heritage, employing conventional methods for analyzing landscape preferences can be resource-intensive in terms of both time and labor. Amid the rapid advancement of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI), a cognitive framework for understanding the Chinese Grand Canal’s landscape preferences has been developed, encompassing two primary aspects: the characteristic features of landscape preference and its spatial organization. Geotagged photographs from tourism media platforms focused on the Yangzhou Ancient Canal were utilized, and the EasyDL deep learning platform was employed to devise a model. This model assesses current landscape preferences through an analysis of photographic content, element composition patterns, and geospatial distribution, integrating social network and point density analyses. Our findings reveal that the fusion of Yangzhou Ancient Canal and classical gardens creates a sought-after ‘Canal and Watercraft Remains’ landscape. Tourists’ preferences for different landscape types are reflected in the way the elements are combined in the photographs. Overall, landscape preferences are dense in the north and sparse in the south. Differences in tourists’ perceptions of the value of and preferences for heritage sites lead to significant variations in tourist arrivals at different sites. This approach demonstrates efficiency and scalability in evaluating the Chinese Grand Canal landscape, offering valuable insights for its strategic planning and conservation efforts.

Perceived obligation, overconfidence and electric‐bike driving hazards: The double‐edged sword of social network density

Perceived obligation, overconfidence and electric‐bike driving hazards: The double‐edged sword of social network density

The US Student Antisweatshop Movement's Presence and Success at the Campus Level: Impacts of Collective Identity Strength and Network Density1

College students and campuses have played key roles in social movements because colleges' cultural and structural features tend to facilitate movements. But such attributes vary across campuses. This quantitative study models how two campus features that correspond to core elements of social movement theory—students' collective identity strength and social network density—appear to impact United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) groups' presence and success on 1,265 US 4‐year public and private nonprofit campuses during 2000–2006, operationalizing success as schools' joining the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) monitoring organization. Results generally indicate that collective identity strength and network density promote USAS presence and that network density facilitates WRC membership. USAS presence is pivotal, though not required, for WRC membership. Our logistic regression models also confirm that campus opportunity structures and off‐campus movement actors' roles help account for these USAS outcomes; notably, antiunion location (“Right‐to‐Work” states) undermines and Roman Catholic school affiliation encourages USAS presence and success. We identify theoretically why certain factors may promote only some forms of student activism (e.g., conscience constituent but not beneficiary‐based groups).

Be A Part or Be Apart? The Consumer Utility and Social Networks: An Application of Agent-Based Modeling

<p>本文探討社會網絡對消費者效用的影響，以代理人基模擬消費者於不同網絡型態的互動，重構Jager（2000）的模型並使用二維的效用函數。決策時間代表涉入程度，刻畫所有消費情境。模擬不同型態的社會網絡、密度、認知類型、總人數對個別消費效用的影響。並將效用函數拆解成個人與社會部份以捕捉影響主因。結果表明，任何社會網絡中，網絡愈疏散，消費者所獲得的效用愈高，原因為社會部份的效用稀釋減少；社群影響力下降，非純粹個人效用提升。檢視市場參與人數與社會網絡密度對消費者效用的影響後發現，若消費者身處適切的社會網絡，消費者效用提升。意即，較多的消費者於較疏散的網絡或較少的消費者於較密集的網絡，這二種社群環境對新進廠商相對有利，既存廠商優勢不明顯。</p> <p> </p><p>This study aims to examine the effect of social networks on consumer utility. An agent-based model was employed to simulate the interaction among consumers in different social network types. Jager’s (2000) agent-based model was reconstructed, and a two-dimensional utility function was introduced, considering decision-making time (product involvement) and incorporating all types of consumption scenarios. The goal was to simulate the impact of different types of social networks, social network densities, consumer cognitive types, and the total number of consumers on individual consumer utility. The utility function was decomposed into individual and social components to identify the primary factors influencing consumer utility. Research results indicate that in any social network, as the network becomes more dispersed, consumer utility increases. The reason for this is that the decline in social influence causes the social aspect of utility to be diluted and reduced, rather than a pure increase in individual utility. After examining the impact of the number of market participants and the density of social networks on consumer utility, it was found that if consumers are in an appropriate social network, consumer utility increases. This refers to situations where there are more consumers in a dispersed network or fewer consumers in a dense network. In these two types of social network environments, it is relatively advantageous for new entrants, but this advantage is not as evident for existing vendors.</p> <p> </p>

DEVELOPING SOCIAL CAPITAL AND COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AMONG THE MALAYSIAN YOUTH THROUGH INTERNATIONAL YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM WITH SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN

Social capital development is indispensable to economic growth and well-being because it allows individuals to contribute meaningfully to a society or community. The density of social networks helps an individual take ownership of control over their community through shared trust, norms, and values. As a component to human capital, social capital needs to be developed with important skills and knowledge, such as leadership, communication, and networking, to pursue community empowerment. This study examines the development of social capital and community empowerment at the international level through the international youth exchange program (IYEP) under the Look East Policy (LEP). LEP was implemented in 1982 to develop human capital and increase bilateral collaboration and socio-cultural exchange with East Asian countries, i.e., South Korea and Japan. Based on the secondary data obtained from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and reports from related agencies, this study examined the IYEP of the Malaysia–South Korea and Malaysia-Japan programs and compared their impact on social capital and youth community empowerment. The findings indicate that the IYEP with both countries is expected to strengthen the partnership among participants and help nurture leadership skills. The focus was similar to sociocultural exchange and regional knowledge despite the different scales. Activities such as exchange of knowledge, discussions, enjoying cultural activities, and local activities help the participants build their networking skills and empower the community at both individual and group levels. As the IYEP has benefited its participants, it should be diversified in many areas and collaborations.

Relationship between density and recoverability in social networks

The paper explores elements of the existing literature to investigate the complex relationship between the density of social networks and their resilience to shocks. Density and recoverability are key concepts in understanding the strength of social networks. It discusses how a dense social network can facilitate communication recovery by providing multiple pathways for reorganization and mutual support among users. However, it can also lead to rigidity and vulnerability to targeted attacks or systematic failures. The importance of an optimal balance between the density of a network and the diversity of its connections to maximize its recoverability is explored, along with the role of digital technology and social networking platforms in changing these dynamics. The article concludes with recommendations for future research and other considerations for designing and managing resilient social networks, focusing on the need for a better understanding of the interplay between network structures, social dynamics, and the external factors that influence them.

Tourism, social networks, and community development: a case study of a coastal Vietnamese village

Abstract This article examines how tourism becomes integrated into rural communities and how an isolated Vietnamese community explores and creates employment opportunities through social networks. The empirical investigation is based on a case study of local involvement in tourism employment in Viet Hai, a remote coastal commune. The results of forty in-depth, semi-structured interviews reveal that the involvement of locals in tourism employment is closely associated with the density of individual social networks. Particularly, villagers with dense networks with external tourism operators and stronger kinship relations are more likely to have better access and resources to participate in tourism employment. Our empirical findings also demonstrate that the popularity of social media in remote areas could bring more opportunities to establish and strengthen external relationships and generate more resources for tourism development. Interviews with local people also unveil that tourism can intensify the income gaps among villagers, causing increasing intra-village disparities in living standards. Based on these results, local governments should be more active in connecting local villagers and tour operators. Future research and policy work in tourism and community development would benefit from a more explicit focus on the relationships between social networks and new forms of inequality, kinship ties, agritourism, and more sustainable trajectories of local development.

The Impact of the Density of Individual Social Networks on WeChat Usage in Intimate Relationships among Chinese Youngsters

WeChat has become the most popular type of social media among youngsters in China. They use it for various reasons including communicating in intimate relationships. This study aims to investigate the impact of the density of individuals’ social networks on WeChat Usage in Intimate Relationships among Chinese youngsters, guided by the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). An online questionnaire was constructed and disseminated to respondents online. In total, 923 undergraduate students from Chinese universities completed the questionnaires. Utilizing Structural Equation Modelling, findings show that the density of individuals’ social networks has a limited impact on WeChat usage. On the other hand, TPB factors such as subjective norms and perceived control bring a substantial impact on WeChat usage, while attitude has a less significant impact. These results indicate that Chinese youngsters exhibit strong attributes of the collective culture. This study also suggests that future social media research should place more emphasis on cultural and social factors.

Local social network structure and promotion effectiveness in social commerce

PurposeDrawing on social network and information diffusion theories, the authors study the impact of the structural characteristics of a seller’s local social network on her promotion effectiveness in social commerce.Design/methodology/approachThe authors define a local social network as one formed by a focal seller, her directly connected users and all links among these users. Using data from a large social commerce website in China, the authors build econometric models to investigate how the density, grouping and centralization of local social networks affect the number of likes received by products posted by sellers.FindingsLocal social networks with low density, grouping and centralization are associated with more likes on sellers’ posted products. The negative effects of grouping and centralization are reduced when density is high.Originality/valueThe paper deepens the understanding of the determinants of social commerce success from a network structure perspective. In particular, it draws attention to the role of sellers’ local social networks, forming a foundation for future research on social commerce.

Post-COVID-19 Real Estate Net Absorption and Social Capital in U.S. Metropolitan Areas

The authors of this article studied the differential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of office real estate markets using a sample of major U.S. metropolitan areas. During the pandemic, social capital became a significant determinant of net absorption and mitigated the decline in net absorption due to the impact of COVID-19. They found that social capital in U.S. metropolitan areas as measured by the density of social networks has a significant positive effect on net absorption in a post-COVID-19 period. The results suggest that social capital contributes to an increase in net absorption values by promoting trust and communication among members of a community, which increases the likelihood of a completed transaction resulting in more leasing contracts.

NEITHER HERE NOR THERE, YOU BECOME A STRANGER FOR BOTH SIDES: SUCCESSFUL AGING IN CHINESE AMERICAN OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Previous studies have critiqued the inordinate emphasis on high physical and cognitive functioning and a relative absence of cultural factors in our understanding of the aging process. The multi-year Perceptions of Aging Well in Diverse Populations study explores (1) the meanings attached to aging well across cultures and (2) similarities and differences in these perceptions within diverse racial and/or ethnic groups. This presentation highlights findings from in-depth, semi-structured qualitative interviews with Chinese Americans 50 years and older (n=25; 10 male, 15 female; mean age 58.3 years). Thematic analysis of the data showed that generation status, age at arrival, density of social networks, and level of acculturation were key determinants of successful aging. Specifically, those who were born in the United States or had immigrated at an early age appeared to value their independence and were actively making retirement plans. Late-life immigrants were often lonely and more dependent on their adult children. Financial security and healthcare access were important considerations for mid-life immigrants. Several participants felt like an ‘outsider’ in the US but also felt like they were regarded as ‘foreigners’ in their country of origin, resulting in feelings of ambivalence and alienation. Many participants, particularly women, reported feeling less safe in their neighborhoods given the increasing prevalence of violence against Asian Americans in recent years and some were even contemplating moving to another country post-retirement. These findings provide insights into how aging is experienced among Chinese Americans and may help inform initiatives to support successful aging in this population sub-group.

PROMOTING POSITIVE AGING IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING SOUTH ASIAN AMERICANS: AN EXPLORATORY QUALITATIVE STUDY

Abstract Between 2010 and 2017, South Asians were the fastest-growing major ethnic minority group in the US, growing at a rate of 40% over the previous decade (SAALT, 2019). This exponential growth, along with a rapidly aging US population, implies that a significant proportion of the South Asian American population will be 65 years or older in the coming years; yet research on the lived experiences/needs of older South Asian Americans is limited. To address this gap, this qualitative study explored barriers and facilitators to healthy or positive aging in a sample of community-dwelling South Asian Americans 50 years and older. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 South Asian American older adults (18 women and 14 men). Thematic analysis of the interview data showed that level of acculturation, proficiency in English, cultural beliefs/practices, awareness about available health and social services, degree of religiosity, and the density of social networks were key determinants of healthy aging. Compared to those who were US-born or had immigrated earlier in life, participants who had immigrated later in life (post-retirement) appeared more financially and/or emotionally dependent on their adult children and expressed ambivalence vis-à-vis future caregiving arrangements and intergenerational co-residence. Nearly all participants shared that helping their adult children with childcare, cooking, or other household chores gave them a sense of purpose and made them feel valued. Study findings suggest that along with culturally appropriate programs and policies to support healthy aging, increased volunteering opportunities may enhance subjective well-being in South Asian American older adults.

Examining Between-Group Differences in Social Network Density and High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein in Older Adults: Implications for the Hispanic Mortality Paradox.

Hispanic/Latino(x) and African American/Black older adults experience disproportionate cardiometabolic disease burdens when compared with their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Sources of resilience such as social networks have been found to mitigate the risk of this disease and its end points like high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). However, little is known about the social network infrastructure among these groups. Moreover, existing work has largely ignored the degree to which members of one's network are connected to one another (network density), which may be important for navigating structural barriers within interdependent groups. The objective of this study was to understand the association between network density and 5-year hs-CRP (blood spot) and whether this association was moderated by race-ethnicity. A subsample of Hispanic/Latino(x), African American/Black, and non-Hispanic White older adults ( N = 1431) from the National Social Life Health and Aging Project was used. Multivariable regression was used to estimate the association between network density and its interaction with race-ethnicity, with hs-CRP 5 years later. Although no main effect of network density on 5-year hs-CRP was found, results revealed a significant network density by race-ethnicity interaction (Wald χ2 (2, 1242) = 3.31, p = .037). Simple slopes analyses revealed that Hispanic/Latino(x) older adults with high network density had significantly lower hs-CRP levels when compared with their same-ethnic counterparts with low network density ( b = -0.73, standard error = 0.31, 95% confidence interval = -1.33 to -0.13, p = .018). Results demonstrate population-level differences in social network structure and differential associations of this infrastructure with health. Implications for the Hispanic Mortality Paradox are discussed.

Does Residential Context Matter? Neighborhood Migrant Concentration and Citizenship Acquisition in the Netherlands

Existing studies analyzing the relation between immigrants’ residential environment and their propensity to naturalize produce contradictory findings. These results are difficult to interpret, as studies typically do not measure residential characteristics at a sufficiently fine-grained scale to test hypotheses about social networks and naturalization, do not model the data's multi-level structure appropriately, and do not account for selection into the residential environment. To address these shortcomings, this article draws on longitudinal micro-data from administrative registers at the neighborhood level in the Netherlands (approximately 1300 residents per neighborhood). We employ a stratified Cox proportional hazard model with shared frailty and inverse probability of treatment weighting to reduce bias due to self-selection into neighborhoods and draw on proxies of social networks in such areas. Our analyses provide support for the ‘migrant enclosure hypothesis,’ as we find that greater migrant concentration in the neighborhood is associated with lower naturalization rates and largely driven by the density of migrant social networks in those residential areas. In the Dutch context, this negative effect of migrant enclosure is especially prevalent among the large, long-settled migrant communities from Morocco and Turkey. We also find support for the ‘naturalization diffusion hypothesis’ and observe that the negative naturalization effect of residing in neighborhoods with higher levels of migrant concentration is offset by the presence of immigrants who have completed the naturalization procedure. Together, these findings reveal a nuanced picture that contrasts with de-contextualized cost-benefit theories of immigrant naturalization and highlights the relevance of the local context of immigrant settlement.

Закономірності формування со-ціального капіталу в Україні: теоретичні засади і міжнародний контекст

In the paper, the regularities of the formation of social capital as a component of the problem of capitalization of social interaction have been studied. The methodological approach of the research includes two aspects: theoretical, the purpose of which is to substantiate the theoretical structure of the regularities of the formation of social capital; analytical, according to which the manifestation of the revealed regularities in Ukraine and other countries has been assessed. Four main regularities have been considered (empathy, risk reflectivity, migration impact, norm correspondence), which determine the functioning of the essential elements of social capital, as well as the features of transformation and conversion of its forms. The selection of proper economic indicators that reflect trends in the manifestation of social capital formation has been performed. The results of analytical assessment of the actualization of the specified regularities in Ukraine compared to other countries have been presented. The research revealed that empathy, as a relationship between rationality and sociality of human interaction, constitutes a solid foundation for the development of social capital and has the most vivid and positive manifestations in Ukrainian society when economic agents readily and carefully respond to the needs of their counterparts in social relations. The paper demonstrates the features of the differentiation of forms of social capital according to the direction of internal connections within social networks and the homogeneity (density) of social networks. The determinism of the variability of the forms of social capital is substantiated by the different perceptions of risks by the agents of social interaction. The low tolerance of Ukrainian economic agents to risk has been registered. This determines their preferences regarding participation in vertical and closed social networks. The relationship between migration (mobility) and social trust is revealed. It is argued that the relationship manifests itself in the generally ambiguous impact of immigration to Ukraine and emigration from Ukraine on the functioning of trust networks. This testifies to the possibilities and reserves of managing such an impact to increase social capital in the country. The objective relationship between trust in social norms (the degree of their social recognition and acceptance) and the productivity of social capital is specified. It has been observed that in Ukraine, a critically low level of trust in social norms and norm-setting institutions contributes to the development of corruption and destructive social networks.

Adaptation of the personal social capital brief scale for the measurement of the offline and online social capital in Italy.

Social Capital refers to the resources associated with durable and trustworthy social connections. Social Capital can be developed through offline and online relationships. It can be distinguished between cognitive Social Capital (perception of trustworthiness, reciprocity, and support) and structural Social Capital (density of social networks and membership, and participation in groups and associations). It can also be distinguished between bonding Social Capital (resources associated with informal networks; i.e., neighbors, friends, colleagues) and bridging Social Capital (resources associated with formal networks; i.e., community service, cultural, religious or political groups/associations). The different forms and dimensions of Social Capital may have distinct effects on health outcomes and self-rated health. Therefore, public health researchers need valid and reliable instruments to investigate Social Capital. However, valid instruments including the measurement of online Social Capital are not available. The Personal Social Capital Scale aims to assess bonding and bridging Social Capital by means of cognitive and structural items. In the present investigation, three studies were carried out (N = 1149) to adapt the Personal Social Capital Scale to develop the Personal On-Offline Social Capital Brief Scale, a brief scale for measuring online and offline bonding and bridging Social Capital in Italy. Factorial structure and convergent/divergent validity in relation to scales measuring constructs with different patterns of relationships with bonding and bridging Social Capital (i.e., social support and stress; sense of community and health) were also investigated. Overall, these studies provide evidence of reliability and validity related to the internal structure of the Personal On-Offline Social Capital Brief Scale in measuring online and offline bonding and bridging Social Capital and discriminating them from similar constructs. This scale is a useful instrument for planning public health interventions.