Estimating the size of personal networks

Peter D. Killworth; Eugene C. Johnsen; H. Russell Bernard; Gene Ann Shelley; Christopher McCarty

doi:10.1016/0378-8733(90)90012-X

Estimating the size of personal networks

Peter D. Killworth, Eugene C. Johnsen, H. Russell Bernard, Gene Ann Shelley, Christopher McCarty

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

137 Scopus citations

Abstract

Some methods for estimating the total size of personal communication networks are presented. All involve the scaling-up of a reported network size by a factor proportional to the number of people whom informants can recall when they are presented with a representative list of last names from a telephone directory. Estimates from Jacksonville, Florida give network sizes of 1700±400; reevaluations of an estimate made for Orange County give 2025; and estimates from Mexico City give network sizes of about 600. The difficulties, and sources of error, in these estimates, are discussed. The estimates are compared with independent estimates based on the likelihood of informants knowing members of a small, countable subpopulation, which suggests for U.S. informants a network size of 1526. Thus consistent numbers are beginning to emerge, at least for U.S. informants.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	289-312
Number of pages	24
Journal	Social Networks
Volume	12
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-8733(90)90012-X
State	Published - Dec 1990
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Anthropology
Sociology and Political Science
General Social Sciences
General Psychology

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10.1016/0378-8733(90)90012-X

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@article{56ed92abedae4ff6b2ec9f6d6b4a1f20,

title = "Estimating the size of personal networks",

abstract = "Some methods for estimating the total size of personal communication networks are presented. All involve the scaling-up of a reported network size by a factor proportional to the number of people whom informants can recall when they are presented with a representative list of last names from a telephone directory. Estimates from Jacksonville, Florida give network sizes of 1700±400; reevaluations of an estimate made for Orange County give 2025; and estimates from Mexico City give network sizes of about 600. The difficulties, and sources of error, in these estimates, are discussed. The estimates are compared with independent estimates based on the likelihood of informants knowing members of a small, countable subpopulation, which suggests for U.S. informants a network size of 1526. Thus consistent numbers are beginning to emerge, at least for U.S. informants.",

author = "Killworth, {Peter D.} and Johnsen, {Eugene C.} and Bernard, {H. Russell} and {Ann Shelley}, Gene and Christopher McCarty",

note = "Funding Information: * The research for this paper was funded by NSF grant SES 8803577. Without the work of many people, it would never have occurred. We especially wish to thank Alaina Michaelson for devotedly counting the 1984 Orange County phone book; Scott Robinson, Yolanda Hemandez, and Rosario Mata Castrejon in Mexico City for obtaining the data there; and Noah Friedkin for useful discussion. * * Hooke Institute for Atmospheric Research, Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, Clarendon Laboratory, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, England.",

year = "1990",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1016/0378-8733(90)90012-X",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "12",

pages = "289--312",

journal = "Social Networks",

issn = "0378-8733",

publisher = "Elsevier BV",

number = "4",

}

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T1 - Estimating the size of personal networks

AU - Killworth, Peter D.

AU - Johnsen, Eugene C.

AU - Bernard, H. Russell

AU - Ann Shelley, Gene

AU - McCarty, Christopher

N1 - Funding Information: * The research for this paper was funded by NSF grant SES 8803577. Without the work of many people, it would never have occurred. We especially wish to thank Alaina Michaelson for devotedly counting the 1984 Orange County phone book; Scott Robinson, Yolanda Hemandez, and Rosario Mata Castrejon in Mexico City for obtaining the data there; and Noah Friedkin for useful discussion. * * Hooke Institute for Atmospheric Research, Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, Clarendon Laboratory, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, England.

PY - 1990/12

Y1 - 1990/12

N2 - Some methods for estimating the total size of personal communication networks are presented. All involve the scaling-up of a reported network size by a factor proportional to the number of people whom informants can recall when they are presented with a representative list of last names from a telephone directory. Estimates from Jacksonville, Florida give network sizes of 1700±400; reevaluations of an estimate made for Orange County give 2025; and estimates from Mexico City give network sizes of about 600. The difficulties, and sources of error, in these estimates, are discussed. The estimates are compared with independent estimates based on the likelihood of informants knowing members of a small, countable subpopulation, which suggests for U.S. informants a network size of 1526. Thus consistent numbers are beginning to emerge, at least for U.S. informants.

AB - Some methods for estimating the total size of personal communication networks are presented. All involve the scaling-up of a reported network size by a factor proportional to the number of people whom informants can recall when they are presented with a representative list of last names from a telephone directory. Estimates from Jacksonville, Florida give network sizes of 1700±400; reevaluations of an estimate made for Orange County give 2025; and estimates from Mexico City give network sizes of about 600. The difficulties, and sources of error, in these estimates, are discussed. The estimates are compared with independent estimates based on the likelihood of informants knowing members of a small, countable subpopulation, which suggests for U.S. informants a network size of 1526. Thus consistent numbers are beginning to emerge, at least for U.S. informants.

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VL - 12

SP - 289

EP - 312

JO - Social Networks

JF - Social Networks

IS - 4

ER -

Estimating the size of personal networks

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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