The Networks Connecting People – Social Network Analysis Course – FutureLearn
Explore the structure and dynamics of different types of social networks and use models to identify patterns of social influence Learn how norms viruses and info spread through social networks Have you ever wondered how a tiny virus can spread across the planet how people share false information through social media or why people abide by group norms even when they are harmful With easy-to-use computational models you will explore the social dynamics explaining these processes This brand-new course from computational social science experts at University College Groningen and the University of Warsaw explores how networks form and how they impact the spreading of different types of information in society Discover social network analysis tools structures and modelling On this course youll get to grips with the basics of social network theory before considering how different social exchanges impact network structures and dynamics of opinion and product choice Youll learn how the way we communicate and even share viruses is shaped by social network structures that existed in our tribal history and have expanded in modern society Identify patterns of social interaction and explore social influence theory Youll learn how social influences play out in larger networks as you explore what impact small scale tribal mechanisms like local norms have on global network dynamics Study social network theory with computational social science CSS experts This course has been designed as a collaboration between University College Groningen the University of Warsaw and Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society Warsaw and Groningen are experts in CSS and this course offers students the chance to learn from four leading social science scholars Network structures Social dynamics Types of exchanges Social influence Local norms versus global network dynamics Compare how different network structures affect social dynamics Identify how key properties of social networks connect with the spreading of different influences such as viruses norms and properties of products Experiment with different social influences and network structures and how they impact diffusion dynamics Assess situations where small scale tribal mechanisms such as local norms have an impact on global network dynamics
