Assortative model for social networks

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new network growth model tailored for social networks, specifically capturing the degree-assortative property observed in collaboration graphs like arXiv, providing insights into their microscopic dynamics.

Contribution

It presents a novel model capable of reproducing degree-assortative behavior in social networks, advancing understanding of their underlying microscopic mechanisms.

Findings

The model successfully reproduces degree-assortativity in social networks.

Application to arXiv collaboration network demonstrates the model's effectiveness.

Provides insights into the microscopic dynamics driving social network structure.

Abstract

In this paper we present a new version of a network growth model, generalized in order to describe the behavior of social networks. The case of study considered is the preprint archive at cul.arxiv.org. Each node corresponds to a scientist, and a link is present whenever two authors wrote a paper together. This graph is a nice example of degree-assortative network, that is to say a network where sites with similar degree are connected each other. The model presented is one of the few able to reproduce such behavior, giving some insight on the microscopic dynamics at the basis of the graph structure.