Revisiting the accuracy problem in network analysis using a unique dataset
Revisiting the accuracy problem in network analysis using a unique dataset
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DOI：
10.1016/j.socnet.2020.12.010
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发表时间：
2021-01-21
期刊：
影响因子：
3.1
通讯作者：
Bliss, Daniel W. Bliss
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Corman, Steven R.;Steiner, Elena;Bliss, Daniel W. Bliss
伯纳德及其同事在20世纪70年代末和80年代初发表的一系列论文被称为“准确性研究”，对网络研究中自我报告的感知沟通的有效性提出了质疑，表明这种报告只能解释直接观察到的沟通中约20%的方差。问题仍然存在，以及如何研究的组织类型反映了典型的正式组织，研究的观察期短，人工观察方法。这项研究使用一个独特的数据集重新审视了准确性研究，该数据集包括144周的网络调查和对7,000小时录音的机器分类，以测量一个雇用54人的软件工程单位中的可观察通信。结果表明，感知和观察到的沟通在几周的研究有一个较低的平均值比准确性研究报告，但变化很大，从一周到一周。它还复制了早期研究的结果，表明当参与者认为与他们评级的改变有很强的结构关系时，他们倾向于高估沟通。这项研究巩固了我们对网络自我报告的知识，使用了比以前的研究更强大的数据基础。它的结果，沿着与以前的研究，表明，感知沟通是不是一个有缺陷的措施，可观察到的沟通，因为它是一个相关的，但独特的现象。这突出了需要在理论和建模，阐明感知和观察到的通信之间的关系，网络网状理论的发展被认为是一个可行的方法。
A series of papers published by Bernard and colleagues in the late 1970s and early 1980s, dubbed the "accuracy studies," called into the question the validity of self-reported perceived communication in the study of networks, showing that such reports explain only about 20 % of the variance in directly observed communication. Questions remain about how well the kinds of organizations studied reflect typical formal organizations, the studies' short observation periods, and manual observation methods. This study revisits the accuracy studies using a unique dataset comprising 144 weeks of network surveys and machine classification of 7,000 h of audio recordings to measure observable communication in a software engineering unit employing 54 people. Results show that correlations between perceived and observed communication over the weeks studied have a lower average than that reported in the accuracy studies but vary considerably from week to week. It also replicates results of earlier research showing that participants tend to overreport communication when they perceive a strong structural relationship to the alters they are rating. This study solidifies our knowledge about network selfreports using a stronger data foundation than prior research employed. Its results, along with the previous research, suggest that perceived communication is not so much a flawed measure of observable communication as it is a related, yet distinct phenomenon. This highlights the need for developments in theory and modeling that articulate the relationship between perceived and observed communication, and Network Reticulation Theory is suggested as a viable approach.