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Interventions in Social Networks: Impact on Mood and Network Dynamics

Vukadinović Greetham, Danica, Sengupta, Abhijit, Hurling, Robert, Wilkinson, Joy (2015) Interventions in Social Networks: Impact on Mood and Network Dynamics. Advances in Complex Systems, 18 (3-4). Article Number 1550016. ISSN 0219-5259. (doi:10.1142/S0219525915500162) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:71498)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
https://dx.doi.org/10.1142/S0219525915500162

Abstract

Results from two studies on longitudinal friendship networks are presented, exploring the impact of a gratitude intervention on positive and negative affect dynamics in a social network. The gratitude intervention had been previously shown to increase positive affect and decrease negative affect in an individual but dynamic group effects have not been considered. In the first study, the intervention was administered to the whole network. In the second study, two social networks are considered and in each only a subset of individuals, initially low/high in negative affect respectively received the intervention as «agents of change». Data was analyzed using stochastic actor-based modeling techniques to identify resulting network changes, impact on positive and negative affect and potential contagion of mood within the group. The first study found a group level increase in positive and a decrease in negative affect. Homophily was detected with regard to positive and negative affect but no evidence of contagion was found. The network itself became more volatile along with a fall in rate of change of negative affect. Centrality measures indicated that the best broadcasters were the individuals with the least negative affect levels at the beginning of the study. In the second study, the positive and negative affect levels for the whole group depended on the initial levels of negative affect of the intervention recipients. There was evidence of positive affect contagion in the group where intervention recipients had low initial level of negative affect and contagion in negative affect for the group where recipients had initially high level of negative affect.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1142/S0219525915500162
Uncontrolled keywords: Network interventions, longitudinal networks, friendship networks, Katz centrality, positive affect, negative affect
Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Divisions: Divisions > Kent Business School - Division > Kent Business School (do not use)
Depositing User: Tracey Pemble
Date Deposited: 03 Jan 2019 11:24 UTC
Last Modified: 17 Aug 2022 11:02 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/71498 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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