Reciprocity,Multiplexity, and Exchange: Measures

We introduce measures and statistical tests for multiplexity and exchange that are modeled on similar ideas developed for reciprocity quite early in the history of social network research. As properties of a multi-relation network, multiplexity, and exchange have almost as ancient a history as reciprocity, but have not been as intensively investigated from a methodological perspective. Multiplexity refers to the extent to which two ties, for example, advice and friendship, coincide over population; that is, do respondents name the same people as friends as the persons they nominate as individuals from who they seek advice. Exchange refers to the extent to which a tie of one type directed from person i to person j is returned by a tie of another type from j to i. We conceive of the current paper as the first part of a two-part paper, wherein the second part explores specific theoretical models for multiplexity and exchange.     

Respondent Related Correlates of Response Behaviour in Audience Research

Audience research by means of surveys has a long tradition, certainly withinarts and humanities oriented research. Yet, due to selective sampling and unitnonresponse it frequently lacks the methodological rigour to make scientificallyvalid statements based on sample estimates. This is one of the first attempts toexplore unit nonresponse in audience research. More specifically, it focuses onthe explanation of nonresponse by the socio-demographic and more topic relatedcharacteristics of a theatre audience. Using a two-step procedure for the on-sitecollection of data, the characteristics of respondents are compared with those ofnonrespondents. In step 1 the composition of the theatre audience is comparedto a proxy of a theatre population benchmark based on a weighted sample of theFlemish population (APS-2000). The validity of this best available method isdiscussed. Step 2 compares respondents with nonrespondents on a micro-level:ignoring unit nonresponse in step 1, we use logistic regression to map selectionin step 2. The chance of cooperating with the survey has been found to increasewith educational attainment and vary according to occupational category. Moreover,involvement with survey topic is confirmed as a strong predictor of survey participation.Gender, age and experience with theatre remain insignificant in predicting responsebehaviour. These findings are compared with the socio-demographic correlates ofresponse behaviour in general populations. Implications for statistically controllingfor nonresponse bias in audience research are discussed. Suggestions for furtherresearch are presented.     

Sociometric Status and Peer Control Attempts: A Multiple Status Hierarchies Approach

We study a population of first year midshipmen within an elite military academy to explore the relationship between individuals’ sociometric status (e.g., status conferrals based on positive interpersonal affect and perceived competence, and status degradations based on negative interpersonal affect) and their attempts to directly control their peers’ behaviour over a year's time. Results show that multiple informal sociometric status hierarchies develop early in the organization's life and remain remarkably stable. Control attempts are driven by these status hierarchies: Lower competence status individuals and those who attract negative status degradations are targeted for control by more people early in the group's life, those relatively free of negative status degradations attempt to control greater numbers of others throughout the group's existence, while higher positive status is generally unrelated to control attempts. However, control attempts do not lead to higher future sociometric status, suggesting they are not status signals. Findings also show that individuals targeted for control by many others leave the organization entirely.     

Group differences in reciprocity, multiplexity and exchange: measures and application

Local forces structure social networks. One major and widely researched local force is reciprocity, often assumed to work homogeneously across actors??i.e., all actors are equally subject to the same level of force towards reciprocity. Other local forces, like multiplexity and exchange, are also often assumed to apply equally to different actors. But social theory provides us with ample arguments why such forces might be stronger in some subsets of actors than others, or why such forces might affect intergroup ties more than intragroup ties. In this paper we introduce standard measures to capture these group specific forces towards reciprocity, multiplexity, and exchange. All the measures control for differential tendencies of actors to initiate ties of various types. We also introduce a procedure by which differences in the strength of these forces between groups and subgroups can be statistically evaluated.