Social Influence Network Theory

“Social Influence Network Theory pivots on a process model of attitude formation and change that accords pride of place to interpersonal influences mediated by social connections. Friedkin and Johnsen bring contemporary social network theory to bear on fundamental and long-standing puzzles about group process and functioning, including consensus formation, polarization, factionalization, and decision making. Their book – a potent and welcome contribution to social network science – both demands and gives serious attention to how and why ‘network effects’ operate, on individuals and groups alike.” – Peter V. Marsden, Harvard University
“This book provides an elegant formal model of the social influence process among people in groups and social networks and shows how this model can be used to illuminate and integrate basic processes in group dynamics such as social comparison, majority/minority influence, group polarization, and the effects of status structures. Social scientists have long acknowledged that the social influence process is central to the ways that individuals think and act and social structures emerge. This book shows how we can systemize our understanding of this core social process and gain a powerful analytic purchase on the ways that people make groups and groups make people. It is a must read for serious students of group dynamics, especially mathematically oriented ones.” – Cecilia L. Ridgeway, Lucie Stern Professor, Stanford University
“Summarizing their thoughts over many years, Noah Friedkin and Eugene Johnsen have written a book that will influence the way people think about influence in small groups for years to come.” – Peter Bearman, Columbia University