Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Structural centrality in communications networks

  • Published:
Psychometrika Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper examines the concept of centrality with respect to small-group communication experiments. An index of centrality is presented which is based on the incidence matrix of actual communications rather than on the deviation matrix of possible communications, as in the Bavelas Index of Centrality. The index takes the value of zero for the homogeneous all-channel graph and the value of unity for the homogeneous wheel graph. The index can be computed for individuals as well as groups. Three examples are computed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bavelas, A. A mathematical model for group structures.Appl. Anthrop., 1948,7, 16–30.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bavelas, A. Communication patterns in task-oriented groups.J. acoust. Soc. Amer., 1950,57, 271–282.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Berge, C.The theory of graphs and its applications (translated by A. Doig). New York: Wiley, 1962.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Faucheux, C. and Moscovici, S. “Etudes sur la creativité des groupes: II-tâche, structure des communications et reussite.”Bulletin du CERP 1960, IX,1, 11–22.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Flament, C.Applications of graph theory to group structure (translated by Pinard, M., Breton, R., and Fontaine, F). Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall, 1963.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Ford, L. R. and Fulkerson, D. R.Flows in networks. Princeton, N. J.: Princeton Univ. Press, 1962.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Leavitt, H. J. Some effects of certain patterns on group performance.J. abn. soc. Psychol., 1951,46, 38–50.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Carnegie Institute of Technology, USA

    Kenneth D. Mackenzie

Authors
  1. Kenneth D. Mackenzie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This research was supported in part by Ford Foundation Grant 140055 to the Graduate School of Industrial Administration at Carnegie Institute of Technology for Research in Organizational Behavior.

Graduate School of Industrial Administration of Carnegie Institute of Technology. The author wishes to acknowledge the helpful comments and criticisms of R. L. Swinth in the preparation of this manuscript.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mackenzie, K.D. Structural centrality in communications networks. Psychometrika 31, 17–25 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02289453

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02289453

Keywords

Search

Navigation