Spread of information through a population with socio-structural bias: III. Suggested experimental procedures

Abstract

Experimental procedures are suggested to test the theory developed in previous papers which may have applications to predicting the spread of information by contact through a population. The experiment is designed to test the statistical properties of the “acquaintance net” of the population. Thus behavioral aspects are for the time being eliminated, and attention is focused exclusively in the properties of the potential communication net itself.

Since the theory is not mathematically rigorous, it might be advisable to perform experiments with statistical materials only, such as playing cards, to test the validity of the assumptions and approximations of the theory in dealing with particular statistical processes. One such experiment has been performed. The results agree closely with those calculated from one of the derived equations.