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Strong ties in a small world

Author

Listed:
  • Marco van der Leij

    (Universidad de Alicante)

  • Sanjeev Goyal

    (Department of Economics, Queen Mary)

Abstract

This paper examines the celebrated "Strength of weak ties" theory of Granovetter(1973). We formalize the theory in terms of two hypotheses: one, for any threeplayers with two links present, the probability of a third link being present isincreasing in the strength of the two ties, and two, the removal of a weak tieincreases average distance in the network more than the removal of a strong tie. We test these hypotheses using data on the network of coauthorship amongeconomists. We find support for the hypothesis of transitivity of strong ties, but we reject thehypothesis that weak ties reduce distance more than strong ties do. We then identify two general features of networks which explain these findings:significant inequality in the distribution of connections across individuals andstronger ties among individuals who have more connections.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco van der Leij & Sanjeev Goyal, 2010. "Strong ties in a small world," Working Papers. Serie AD 2010-02, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas, S.A. (Ivie).
    • Handle: RePEc:ivi:wpasad:2010-02
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sanjeev Goyal, 2007. "Introduction to Connections: An Introduction to the Economics of Networks," Introductory Chapters, in: Connections: An Introduction to the Economics of Networks, Princeton University Press.
    2. Antoni Calvó-Armengol & Matthew O. Jackson, 2004. "The Effects of Social Networks on Employment and Inequality," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(3), pages 426-454, June.
    3. van der Leij Marco & Goyal Sanjeev, 2011. "Strong Ties in a Small World," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 10(2), pages 1-22, June.
    4. Sanjeev Goyal & Marco J. van der Leij & José Luis Moraga-Gonzalez, 2006. "Economics: An Emerging Small World," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 114(2), pages 403-432, April.
    5. Réka Albert & Hawoong Jeong & Albert-László Barabási, 2000. "Error and attack tolerance of complex networks," Nature, Nature, vol. 406(6794), pages 378-382, July.
    6. Sanjeev Goyal, 2005. "Strong and Weak Links," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 3(2-3), pages 608-616, 04/05.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    network; strength of weak ties; core-periphery; co-authorship network;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics
    • D85 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Network Formation
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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