Peter Klimek and Stefan Thurner 2013 New J. Phys. 15 063008 doi:10.1088/1367-2630/15/6/063008
Peter Klimek1 and Stefan Thurner1,2,3,4
Show affiliationsPaper
Social networks exhibit scaling laws for several structural characteristics, such as degree distribution, scaling of the attachment kernel and clustering coefficients as a function of node degree. A detailed understanding if and how these scaling laws are inter-related is missing so far, let alone whether they can be understood through a common, dynamical principle. We propose a simple model for stationary network formation and show that the three mentioned scaling relations follow as natural consequences of triadic closure. The validity of the model is tested on multiplex data from a well-studied massive multiplayer online game. We find that the three scaling exponents observed in the multiplex data for the friendship, communication and trading networks can simultaneously be explained by the model. These results suggest that triadic closure could be identified as one of the fundamental dynamical principles in social multiplex network formation.
89.65.-s Social and economic systems
Issue 6 (June 2013)
Received 19 February 2013
Published 7 June 2013
Total article downloads: 965
Peter Klimek and Stefan Thurner 2013 New J. Phys. 15 063008