A structured overview of 50 years of small-world research

✍ Scribed by Sebastian Schnettler

• Book ID: 104093134
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 428 KB
• Volume: 31
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0378-8733
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socnet.2008.12.004

✦ Synopsis

process Social structure Complex networks New science of networks Milgram Social capital Network dynamics a b s t r a c t

This paper offers a structured overview of 50 years of small-world research. Initially formulated by Pool and Kochen in the mid-1950s, the small-world concept can be divided into six research foci, based on three dimensions (structural, process-related, psychological), and two process-related themes (diffusion, search). Building on this analytical distinction, the article provides a historical summary of the different phases of research on the small-world problem, and summarizes the empirical and theoretical progress on different facets of the small-world phenomenon. The paper concludes with a brief assessment of accomplishments and open questions, suggesting some possible future research areas.