Social Network Analysis for Analyzing Groups as Complex Systems

ABSTRACT

The introduction and application of social network analysis, a method seen as superior to experimental or single-system research design for showing group change, examined group dynamics and change over time using a hypothetical example of an Internet group for gays and lesbians. Rather than utilizing traditional definitions of independent and dependent variables, the analysis utilized hypothetical data with nodes or individuals, ties, and the relationships they formed. The recently developed computer program NodeXL provided diagrams and statistics that demonstrated node and tie variation and individual and group development over time. Discussion demonstrated the utility of such diagrams for research and practice.     

Why is their picture on the wedding page?: A rural community responds to a union announcement

On August 17, 2003, two women placed a union announcement in the Grand Forks Herald and became the first same-sex couple in North Dakota to do so (Lee, 2003). This announcement generated a flood of letters, both pro and con, that appeared in on the editorial page in the Herald over the next several weeks. In this exploratory study, I conduct a content analysis of those letters. Through this analysis, the three primary thematic categories emerged upon which writers based their arguments. They include those grounded in issues of tolerance, arguments based on Christian values and Scripture and those that focused on normalization. Additionally, the letters reveal something about rural versus urban sensibilities in that relatively more urban Grand Forks residents were less likely to write negative letters than their counterparts from neighboring small towns. I conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings and suggestions for future research.