Presentation Transcript
Slide1: Introducing Blanche Science of Networks in Communities (SONIC)
Team Engineering Collaboratory
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
April, 2005
Slide2: Elements of Blanche: Nodes Nodes: individuals, groups, organizations, databases
Attributes of nodes: attitude, age, gender, organizational affiliation, expertise, human/non-human agents
- Attributes can be continuous, categorical, constant or changing
Elements of Blanche: Relations: Elements of Blanche: Relations One or more relations between the nodes:
communication
information flow
access, publish or retrieve information
perceptions of others’ attitude or expertise
Relations can be directional, non-directional, binary, continuous, constant or changing
Slide4: A F E B D C A’s Attributes:
Attitude,
Expertise A’s Relations:
Communication
from A to F
Explaining changes: Attributes of the nodes: Explaining changes: Attributes of the nodes Changes in the value of the attributes for actor i are influenced by present and prior values of:
Relations of actor i with other actors j
Attributes of other actors j
Other attributes of actor i
Explaining changes: Relations between the nodes: Explaining changes: Relations between the nodes Changes in the value of relations for actor i to actor j are influenced by present and prior values of:
Attributes of actor i
Attributes of other actors j
One or more relations between actor i and all other actors j
Example: Example To model the relationship between people’s communication with one another and the similarity in their attitudes towards two issues X and Y
Generative Mechanisms: Generative Mechanisms Actor i’s attitudes towards X (or Y) is based on the attitude of other actors, j, with whom actor i communicates.
Actor i’s communication with j is based on their previous communication and shared attitudes towards X and Y.
Variables: Variables Attribute Variables:
AttX : Attitude towards X. Range: 0 to 1
AttY: Attitude towards Y. Range: 0 to 1
Relational Variables
PComm: Probability of a communication tie
Range: 0 to 1
Comm: Presence of a communication tie
Range: 0 or 1
Process Preview: Process Preview Create and specify variables
Enter equations
Check levels
Specify file names for initial data sets
Generate and save new data sets
Process Preview: Process Preview Model analysis:
Run simulation: single or multiple runs
View results: Attribute and Relational data, Time series graphs, Visualizations
Analyze results: Descriptive univariate and network statistics
Save and export results: text files, UCINET DL or Krackplot KP files.
Viewing Nodes and Variables: Viewing Nodes and Variables Click here to view and modify highlighted variable Click here
to enter a new
variable
Viewing and Modifying Variable AttX: Attitude about Topic X: Viewing and Modifying Variable AttX: Attitude about Topic X Click here to generate new initial datasets
Generating Data for Initial Attitudes Towards Topic X: AttX: Generating Data for Initial Attitudes Towards Topic X: AttX
Previewing Data for Initial Attitudes Towards Topic X: AttX : Previewing Data for Initial Attitudes Towards Topic X: AttX Click here to save the data generated
Saving New Data for Initial Attitudes Towards Topic X: AttX : Saving New Data for Initial Attitudes Towards Topic X: AttX Click here to save the data generated
Viewing and Modifying Variable AttY: Attitude about Topic Y: Viewing and Modifying Variable AttY: Attitude about Topic Y
Viewing and Modifying Variable Probability of a Communication tie: PCOMM: Viewing and Modifying Variable Probability of a Communication tie: PCOMM
Viewing and Modifying Variable Presence of a Communication tie: COMM: Viewing and Modifying Variable Presence of a Communication tie: COMM
Running model in Blanche Step 1: Specify model parameters: Running model in Blanche Step 1: Specify model parameters
Running model in Blanche Step 2: Click on Play button: Running model in Blanche Step 2: Click on Play button Click here to run simulation
Running model in Blanche Step 3: Allow simulation to run: Running model in Blanche Step 3: Allow simulation to run
Running model in Blanche Step 4: View data for selected attributes: Running model in Blanche Step 4: View data for selected attributes AttX and AttY at iteration 99
Running model in Blanche Step 5: View data for selected relations: Running model in Blanche Step 5: View data for selected relations Comm at iteration 97 Click here to go to previous iteration
Visualizing data in Blanche Select to graph individual actors or the entire network by highlighting the values tab and selecting the “add” button : Visualizing data in Blanche Select to graph individual actors or the entire network by highlighting the values tab and selecting the “add” button
Visualizing Graphs: Graph of the data (normal view) : Visualizing Graphs: Graph of the data (normal view) Zoom area
Visualizing Graphs: Graph of the Data (3D view): Visualizing Graphs: Graph of the Data (3D view)
Visualizing Networks at iteration 30: Visualizing Networks at iteration 30
Saving data: Saving data
Possible applications: Possible applications Examine change in simulation results as a function of:
Variance in the initial conditions
Different equations based on different theories or different interpretations of the same theory
Use empirical data as initial data to predict future states of the network: attitudes and communication relations.
Use results to guide research design – when and what data is most appropriate to test hypotheses