Blockmodeling: Difference between revisions

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While some contend that the blockmodeling is just clustering methods, [[Phillip Bonacich|Bonacich]] and [[Maureen J. McConaghy|McConaghy]] state that "it is a theoretically grounded and algebraic approach to the analysis of the structure of relations". Blockmodeling's unique ability lies in the fact that it considers the structure not just as a set of direct relations, but also takes into account all other possible compound relations that are based on the direct ones.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bonacich |first1=Phillip |last2=McConaghy |first2=Maureen J. |date=1980 |title=The Algebra of Blockmodeling |url= |journal=Sociological Methodology |volume=11 |issue= |pages=489–532 |doi=10.2307/270873 }}</ref>

The principles of blockmodeling were first introduced by [[Francois Lorrain]] and [[Harrison C. White]] in 1971.<ref name="Examples, 1999, pp. 5–34"/> Blockmodeling is considered as "an important set of network analytic tools" as it deals with delineation of role structures (the well-defined places in social structures, also known as positions) and the discerning the fundamental structure of social networks.<ref name="gener-black">{{Cite book |last1=Doreian |first1=Patrick |last2=Batagelj |first2=Vladimir |last3=Ferligoj |first3=Anuška |title=Generalized BlackmodelingBlockmodeling |publisher=Cambridge University Press |date=2005 |isbn=0-521-84085-6}}</ref>{{rp|2, 3}} According to [[Vladimir Batagelj|Batagelj]], the primary "goal of blockmodeling is to reduce a large, potentially incoherent network to a smaller comprehensible structure that can be interpreted more readily".<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Batagelj |first1=Vladimir |date=1999 |title=Generalized Blockmodeling |url= |journal=Informatica |volume=23 |issue= |pages=501–506 |doi=}}</ref> Blockmodeling was at first used for analysis in [[sociometry]] and [[psychometrics]], but has now spread also to other sciences.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.iioa.org/conferences/16th/files/Papers/Weber%20Introducing%20blockmodeling%20to%20input-output%20analysis.doc |title=WEBER, M. (2007), “Introducing blockmodeling to input-output analysis”. 16th International I-Ot Conf, Istanbul, Turkey. |access-date=2021-08-23 |archive-date=2021-08-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210823084150/https://www.iioa.org/conferences/16th/files/Papers/Weber%20Introducing%20blockmodeling%20to%20input-output%20analysis.doc |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Definition ==

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* [[parent-child role]] systems,

* [[organizational hierarchy|organizational hierarchies]],

* systems of [[ranked cluster]]s, ...

* [[baboon grooming network]]s, ...

== Specialized programs ==

Blockmodeling is done with specialized [[computer program]]s, dedicated to the analysis of networks or blockmodeling in particular, as:

* '''BLOCKS''' ([[Tom Snijders]]),<ref name="stats.ox.ac.uk">{{Cite web |url=https://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~snijders/socnet.htm |title=STATS.ox.ac.uk – Social Network Analysis |access-date=2021-08-18 |archive-date=2021-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818092755/https://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~snijders/socnet.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

* '''[[CONCOR]]''',<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Steiber |first1=Steven R. |date=1981 |title=Building better blockmodels: A non–hierarchical extension of CONCOR with applications to regression analysis |url= |journal=Mid–American Review of Sociology |volume=VI |issue= |pages=17–40 |doi=}}</ref>

* '''Model''' ([[Vladimir Batagelj]]),<ref name="Generalized Blockmodeling with Paje">{{cite journal |last1=Batagelj |first1=Vladimir |last2=Mrvar |first2=Andrej |last3=Ferligoj |first3=Anuška |last4=Doreian |first4=Patrick |date=2004 |title=Generalized Blockmodeling with Pajek |url= |journal=Metodološki zvezki |volume=1 |issue=2 |pages=455–467 |doi=}}</ref>

* '''Model2''' (Vladimir Batagelj),<ref name="Generalized Blockmodeling with Paje"/>

* '''[[Pajek]]''' (Vladimir Batagelj and [[Andrej Mrvar]]),<ref name="Generalized Blockmodeling with Paje"/>

* '''[[R (programming language)|R]]–package Blockmodeling''' ([[Aleš Žiberna]]),<ref name="Absent Ties in Social Networks, the"/><ref>[httpshttp://cran.r–projectr-project.org/web/packages/blockmodeling/blockmodeling.pdf Cran.R–project.org – Package 'blockmodeling']</ref><ref name="ReferenceA"/>

* '''Socnet.se''': The blockmodeling console app (Win/Linux/Mac) (Carl Nordlund)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nordlund |first=Carl |date=2024 |title=Socnet.se: The blockmodeling console app |url=https://socnet.se/ |access-date=2025-06-04 |website=socnet.se |language=en}}</ref>

* '''StOCNET''' (Tom Snijders),...<ref name="stats.ox.ac.uk" />

** '''BLOCKS''' ([[Tom Snijders]]),<ref name="stats.ox.ac.uk">{{Cite web |url=https://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~snijders/socnet.htm |title=STATS.ox.ac.uk – Social Network Analysis |access-date=2021-08-18 |archive-date=2021-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818092755/https://www.stats.ox.ac.uk/~snijders/socnet.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

* '''[[CONCOR]]''',<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Steiber |first1=Steven R. |date=1981 |title=Building better blockmodels: A non–hierarchical extension of CONCOR with applications to regression analysis |url= |journal=Mid–American Review of Sociology |volume=VI |issue= |pages=17–40 |doi=}}</ref>

* '''Model''' and '''Model2''' ([[Vladimir Batagelj]]),<ref name="Generalized Blockmodeling with Paje">{{cite journal |last1=Batagelj |first1=Vladimir |last2=Mrvar |first2=Andrej |last3=Ferligoj |first3=Anuška |last4=Doreian |first4=Patrick |date=2004 |title=Generalized Blockmodeling with Pajek |url= |journal=Metodološki zvezki |volume=1 |issue=2 |pages=455–467 |doi=}}</ref>

== See also ==

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* [[Mathematical sociology]]

* [[Role assignment]]

* [[multiobjectiveMultiobjective blockmodeling]]

* [[blockmodelingBlockmodeling linked networks]]

== References ==