Centrality in social networks conceptual clarification-英文文献.pdf

215 Social Networks, 1 (1978/79) 215-239 @Elsevier Sequoia S.A., Lausanne - Printed in the Netherlands Centrality in Social Networks Conceptual Clarification Linton C. Freeman Lehigh university * The intuitive background for measures of structural centrality in social networks is reviewed aPzdexisting measures are evaluated in terms of their consistency with intuitions and their interpretability. Three distinct intuitive conceptions of centrality are uncovered and existing measures are refined to embody these conceptions. Three measures are developed for each concept, one absolute and one relative measure of the ~entra~~t~~of ~os~tio~lsin a network, and one relenting the degree of centrali- zation of the entire network. The implications of these measures for the experimental study of small groups is examined. The problem of centrality The idea of centrality as applied to human communication was introduced by Bavelas in 1948. He was specifically concerned with communication in small groups and he hypothesized a relationship between structural cen- trality and influence in group processes. The first research application of centrality was made under the direction of Bavelas at the Group Networks Laboratory, M.I.T., in the late 1940s. The first studies were conducted by Harold Leavitt (1949) and Sidney Smith (19.50). They were reported by Bavelas (1950) and Bavelas and Barrett (195 l), and were first described in detail by Leavitt (195 1