%0 Report %1 Steglich:2005p429 %A Steglich, Christian %A Snijders, Tom A. B %A Pearson, Michael %D 2006 %K behavior dynamic dynamic-network influence %T Dynamic Networks and Behavior: Separating Selection from Influence %U http://www.ppsw.rug.nl/~steglich/pdf/SSPrevised.pdf %X A recurrent problem in the analysis of behavioral dynamics, given a simultaneously evolving social network, is the difficulty of separating effects of partner selection from effects of social influence. Misattribution of selection effects to social influence, or vice versa, may lead to wrong conclusions about the mechanisms underlying observed dynamic data, and thus be of limited predictive power. While a dependable and valid method would benefit several research areas, according to the best of our knowledge, it has been lacking in the extant literature. In this paper, we present a recently developed family of statistical models that enables researchers to separate the two effects in a statistically adequate manner. To illustrate our method, we investigate the roles of homophile selection and peer influence mechanisms in the joint dynamics of friendship formation and substance use among adolescents. Making use of a three-wave panel measured in the years 1995-97 at a school in Scotland, we are able to assess the strength of selection and influence mechanisms, identify network regions where they operate, and quantify the relative contributions of homophile selection, assimilation, and control mechanisms to observed similarity of substance use among friends.

@techreport{Steglich:2005p429, abstract = {A recurrent problem in the analysis of behavioral dynamics, given a simultaneously evolving social network, is the difficulty of separating effects of partner selection from effects of social influence. Misattribution of selection effects to social influence, or vice versa, may lead to wrong conclusions about the mechanisms underlying observed dynamic data, and thus be of limited predictive power. While a dependable and valid method would benefit several research areas, according to the best of our knowledge, it has been lacking in the extant literature. In this paper, we present a recently developed family of statistical models that enables researchers to separate the two effects in a statistically adequate manner. To illustrate our method, we investigate the roles of homophile selection and peer influence mechanisms in the joint dynamics of friendship formation and substance use among adolescents. Making use of a three-wave panel measured in the years 1995-97 at a school in Scotland, we are able to assess the strength of selection and influence mechanisms, identify network regions where they operate, and quantify the relative contributions of homophile selection, assimilation, and control mechanisms to observed similarity of substance use among friends.}, added-at = {2008-12-16T23:14:06.000+0100}, author = {Steglich, Christian and Snijders, Tom A. B and Pearson, Michael}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/276fb394a3af4c7eb627ce7f5112f9ad8/anneba}, description = {March 2008}, institution = {INTERUNIVERSITY CENTER FOR SOCIAL SCIENCE THEORY AND METHODOLOGY}, interhash = {2af1c98aa33bc4777d4e9af48eed7940}, intrahash = {76fb394a3af4c7eb627ce7f5112f9ad8}, keywords = {behavior dynamic dynamic-network influence}, month = {Dez}, note = {Whitepaper}, timestamp = {2009-01-13T11:00:22.000+0100}, title = {Dynamic Networks and Behavior: Separating Selection from Influence}, uri = {papers://C3B117CD-23C4-4854-9426-AC96AFB113DA/Paper/p429}, url = {http://www.ppsw.rug.nl/~steglich/pdf/SSPrevised.pdf}, year = 2006 }