Assessing the stability of ego-centered networks over time using the digital participant-aided sociogram tool Network Canvas

Journal article

This paper examines the stability of ego-centered networks as reported over time using a novel touchscreen-based participant-aided sociogram. Past work has noted the instability of nominated network alters, with a large proportion leaving and reappearing between network interview observations. To explain this instability of networks over time, researchers often look to structural embeddedness, namely the notion that alters are connected to other alters within personal networks. Recent research has also asked whether the interview situation itself may have a role to play in conditioning respondents to what might be the appropriate size and shape of a social network, and thereby which alters ought to be nominated or not. We report on change in these networks across three waves and assess whether this change appears to be the result of natural churn in the network or whether it might be the result of factors in the interview itself. Our results indicate that there is little change in the average network size across waves, particularly for indirect tie nominations. Where there is change, we speculate on whether it is related to instrument bias, anchoring or natural change in networks. Data come from three waves of a longitudinal panel study of young men who have sex with men in Chicago.

Authors: Hogan, B; Janulis, P; Phillips, G; Melville, J; Mustanski, B

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Journal: Network Science
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 204-222
• Publication date: 2019-11-04
• Acceptance date: 2019-06-09
• DOI: 10.1017/nws.2019.27
• EISSN: 2050-1250
• ISSN: 2050-1242
• Language: English
• Keywords: FFR