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Physics > Physics and Society
Title: Testing structural balance theories in heterogeneous signed networks
(Submitted on 13 Mar 2023 (v1), last revised 11 Apr 2024 (this version, v4))
Abstract: The abundance of data about social relationships allows the human behavior to be analyzed as any other natural phenomenon. Here we focus on balance theory, stating that social actors tend to avoid establishing cycles with an odd number of negative links. This statement, however, can be supported only after a comparison with a benchmark. Since the existing ones disregard actors' heterogeneity, we extend Exponential Random Graphs to signed networks with both global and local constraints and employ them to assess the significance of empirical unbalanced patterns. We find that the nature of balance crucially depends on the null model: while homogeneous benchmarks favor the weak balance theory, according to which only triangles with one negative link should be under-represented, heterogeneous benchmarks favor the strong balance theory, according to which also triangles with all negative links should be under-represented. Biological networks, instead, display strong frustration under any benchmark, confirming that structural balance inherently characterizes social networks.
Submission history
From: Anna Gallo [view email][v1] Mon, 13 Mar 2023 11:41:07 GMT (1071kb,D)
[v2] Wed, 14 Jun 2023 13:59:42 GMT (1116kb,D)
[v3] Thu, 6 Jul 2023 18:54:17 GMT (1117kb,D)
[v4] Thu, 11 Apr 2024 07:15:06 GMT (1121kb,D)
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