The Reverse Small-World Experiment.
Abstract
This paper considers the reverse small-world technique. Many 'starters' are presented with a very long list (1267) of 'targets'. Starters are instructed in the small-world experiment and asked to write down their choice for the first link in the chain from them to each of the 1267 targets. The location, occupation, sex, and ethnic background of targets was given, and starters indicated which (if any) of these pieces of information made them think of their choice. Seven conclusions are drawn from the data: (1) A mean of 210 choices control the world, but this number is an underestimate; only 35 choices control half the world, however. (2) There appear to be three distinct and mainly nonoverlapping, networks controlling U.S., local, and foreign areas; (3) Choices are mainly friends and acquaintances, with strong cleavages by sex; (4) Location is the usual reason for choices, with occupation second most popular; (5) The decision as to which choice is made depends primarily on the occupation of the trigger, and secondly on the distance (near/far) from Morgantown, W. Virginia., where the experiment took place; (6) Half the states in the U.S. are controlled by a single person when choices are made on the basis of location; and (7) As found in previous experiments, the accuracy of informants in estimating their networks is low.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA044244
Entities
People
- H. Russell Bernard
- Peter D. Killworth
Organizations
- West Virginia University