CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 238Opinion Dynamics and Social InfluenceComplex Network Analysis TechniquesSocial Capital and Networks

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 39 of the 40 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Small Worlds and Cultural Polarization

Open access
FLACHE, ANDREAS, MACY, MICHAEL W.·2011·The Journal of Mathematical Sociology
DOI 10.1080/0022250x.2010.532261
Open this paper in CoChat — free accountOpen PDF

Abstract

Building on Granovetter's theory of the “strength of weak ties,” research on “small-world” networks suggests that bridges between clusters in a social network (long-range ties) promote cultural diffusion, homogeneity, and integration. We show that this macro-level implication of network structure depends on hidden micro-level assumptions. Using a computational model similar to earlier studies, we find that ties between clusters facilitate cultural convergence under the micro-level assumptions of assimilation and attraction to similar others. However, these assumptions also have negative counterparts—differentiation and xenophobia. We found that when these negative possibilities are no longer assumed away, the effect of long-range ties reverses: Even very small amounts of contact between highly clustered communities sharply increased polarization at the population level. [An appendix to this article is featured as an online supplement at the publisher's website.]

Overview

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1080/0022250x.2010.532261

Cites

39 of 39 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Verification

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Citations

Cites

Show all 40 references

Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. Harary F., 1959, Studies in Social Power, 168
  2. Hegselmann R., 2002, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, 5
  3. Klemm K., 2003, Physical Review E, 67
  4. Klemm K., 2003, Physical Review E, 67
  5. Latané B., 1997, Progress in Communication Science: Persuasion, 43

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Items 201–238 of 238

Related

See all

Metadata

Authors
FLACHE, A., & MACY, M. W.
Affiliations
  • University of Groningen (NL)
  • Cornell University (US)
Corresponding author
FLACHE, ANDREAS
ORCID
Venue
The Journal of Mathematical Sociology
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2011-01-25
Volume
35
Issue
1-3
Pages
146-176
ISSN
  • 0022-250X (ISSN-L)
  • 1545-5874
DOI
10.1080/0022250x.2010.532261
OpenAlex
W2005766286
Cited by
237
References
40
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 1
FWCI
7.10
Type
journal article
Language
en
Update notices
correction (2017-05-31)
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Mathematical Sociology (publishedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (452-04-351)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Statistical and Nonlinear Physics › Opinion Dynamics and Social Influence
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Statistical and Nonlinear Physics › Complex Network Analysis Techniques
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social Capital and Networks
Keywords
small-world networks, cultural polarization, cultural diffusion, social network structure, assimilation, xenophobia, differentiation, cultural convergence, Granovetter, computational model

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review