How Complexity Leads to Simplicity
TED talk presented by Eric Berlow.
Social Network analysis is complex. To think otherwise does a great disservice to those nodes who may not be directly linked together. Think about your own social circles and how petty some of those linkages can become and the evolution that occurs over time. Example: I can no longer talk to A, someone who is 4 nodes away from me, because B, who is 2 nodes away, doesn't like them and would be crushed if I talked to them. Sounds lame, right? But does it sound impossible? Complexity Theory or Complex Systems allows us to magnify these types of networks and understand what the actions of the individual agents affect. This is a broad topic that takes into account a multitude of actors and interrelated systems.
Sources in order of use:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThV4pnPbI8E
