Network Structure

Network structure refers to a general system, network, or pattern of relationships that can be derived from the observable behavior of animate and inanimate actors or objects in a given population. Structure is usually understood as the arrangement of parts or elements of some complexity tied together by relations. The study of these relations is the subject of network theory.

A network consists of nodes and links that form dyads, triads, groups, or a system of interconnected animate (actors) and inanimate objects, based on the specific types of relationships between them. In a dyad, ties come together, through the type of relation, to create a system of interdependence. Triads are fundamental network structures. There are 16 types of triads in a directed network in which balanced relationships or [Page 1049]structural holes can be analyzed. This entry further defines network structure and then discusses the theoretical concepts behind it, basic types of networks in terms of their topology, and the measurement of network topology.

A network is dynamic by nature. Within network structure, nodes and relations are established, maintained, or broken (deleted), determining similarity between attitudes and behaviors. There is a shift from individual-level analysis to relational and systemic research.

Network structure and networks are an excellent way of presenting phenomena and objects from the perspective of the network of relations, interactions, and interdependence between them. Animate objects (e.g., human entities, organizations, animals), inanimate objects (e.g., things, artifacts), or contemporary epidemiological phenomena are mutually dependent on each other, creating an extensive, complex, and dynamic network structure. Many complex systems have a network structure. The most popular of them are the Internet, World Wide Web, and the citation network. Contemporary realities have driven researchers to focus on understanding the structure of the network of contacts during epidemics, which has a decisive impact on the dynamics of the spread of diseases. Determining this structure allows effective interventions to control and prevent epidemics. Standard research and social and behavioral methods pay attention to the attributes and characteristics of individual actors, which are studied independently of each other. Contemporary research in social or natural sciences, in which networks play a key role, focuses on the structure of the relations that exist between entities or objects.