Social Networks and Spin Glasses

TL;DR

This paper analyzes UK telephone call networks using novel methods, revealing similarities to social and communication networks, and suggests applying statistical mechanics to understand social network formation and dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces novel analytical methods to study social networks and draws parallels with spin glass models, proposing a new approach to understanding social network dynamics.

Findings

Networks show characteristics of both social and communication networks.

Analogies to spin glasses can inform social network analysis.

Potential for applying statistical mechanics to social network formation.

Abstract

The networks formed from the links between telephones observed in a month's call detail records (CDRs) in the UK are analyzed, looking for the characteristics thought to identify a communications network or a social network. Some novel methods are employed. We find similarities to both types of network. We conclude that, just as analogies to spin glasses have proved fruitful for optimization of large scale practical problems, there will be opportunities to exploit a statistical mechanics of the formation and dynamics of social networks in today's electronically connected world.