Article,
The strength of weak conversational ties in the flow of information and influence
Social Networks, 5 (3): 245-267 (1983/9)
Abstract
The "Strength of Weak Ties" theory is used to analyze the flow of
information and influence in the network of conversational ties in
a kibbutz community.The flow of six information items and two decision-making
items was measured by indicators of communicative efficiency -- speed,
accuracy and credibility. The strength of ties activated and the
direction of the flow (within groups or between groups) was analyzed.The
findings reveal the actual, everyday functioning of weak ties as
inter-group bridges, confirming the "Strength of Weak Ties" claim.The
communicative advantages of weak ties are examined, applying structural
analysis methods. The tendency of weak ties towards intransitivity
and low multiplexity, is suggested to account for their frequent
activation as inter-group bridges.The findings highlight the potential
of social network analysis as a bridge between micro-level interaction
and macro-level patterns including diffusion of innovation, formation
of public opinion and social solidarity. Weak ties serve as the crucial
paths between groups, thus providing the means by which individual
behavior and ideas, originating in small face-to-face groups, are
routinized and agglomerated into large-scale patterns.
