NETWORK STUDIES OF SOCIAL-INFLUENCE

Network analysis interested in social influence examine the social fou ndations for influence-the social relations that provide a basis for t he alteration of an attitude or behavior by one network actor in respo nse to another This article contrasts two empirical accounts of social influence (structural cohesion and equivalence) and describes the soc ial processes (e.g., identification, competition, and authority) presu med to undergird them. It then reviews mathematical models of influenc e processes involving networks and related statistical models used in data analysis. Particular attention is given to the ''network effects' ' model. A number of empirical studies of social influence are reviewe d The article concludes by identifying several problems of specificati on, research design, and measurement and suggesting some research that would help to resolve these problems.