A methodology for integrating network theory and topic modeling and its application to innovation diffusion

Jana Diesner, Kathleen M. Carley

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Text data pertaining to socio-technical networks often are analyzed separately from relational data, or are reduced to the fact and strength of the flow of information between nodes. Disregarding the content of text data for network analysis can limit our understanding of the effects of language use in networks. We present a computational and interdisciplinary methodology that addresses this limitation by combining theory from socio-linguistics with social network analysis and machine learning based text mining: we use network analysis to identify groups of individuals who assume the theoretically grounded roles of change agents and preservation agents. People in these roles differ in their motivation and capability to induce and adopt change in a network. Topic modeling is then constrained to the texts authored by people in these roles. We apply this methodology to a public dataset of about 55,000 research proposals that were granted funding. Our results suggest that the people per role differ in the research domains they work on and the strength of association with those domains that both roles are involved with, but are similar with respect to fulfilling the task or additional role of being a project manager.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings - SocialCom 2010
Subtitle of host publication2nd IEEE International Conference on Social Computing, PASSAT 2010: 2nd IEEE International Conference on Privacy, Security, Risk and Trust
Pages687-692
Number of pages6
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 29 2010
Externally publishedYes
Event2nd IEEE International Conference on Social Computing, SocialCom 2010, 2nd IEEE International Conference on Privacy, Security, Risk and Trust, PASSAT 2010 - Minneapolis, MN, United States
Duration: Aug 20 2010Aug 22 2010

Publication series

NameProceedings - SocialCom 2010: 2nd IEEE International Conference on Social Computing, PASSAT 2010: 2nd IEEE International Conference on Privacy, Security, Risk and Trust

Other

Other2nd IEEE International Conference on Social Computing, SocialCom 2010, 2nd IEEE International Conference on Privacy, Security, Risk and Trust, PASSAT 2010
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityMinneapolis, MN
Period8/20/108/22/10

Keywords

  • Research funding
  • Socio-technical networks
  • Topic modeling
  • Unsupervised learning

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Computer Networks and Communications
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Information Systems

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