Using social network analysis in applied psychological research: A tutorial

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Informatics
• Public Health
• Education
• Medicine

Background:

• Recognizing the complexity of interpersonal connections is crucial across diverse research areas.
• Social network analysis (SNA) provides a robust framework for studying these connections.
• Previous research highlights the importance of understanding social structures in various disciplines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a conceptual overview of social network theory and methodology.
• To demonstrate the application of SNA in an applied psychological research context.
• To guide researchers in utilizing SNA for studying student social networks within classrooms.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual review of social network theory and methodology.
• Application of SNA to a dataset of students within classroom settings.
• Provision of R code, dataset, and glossary for practical implementation.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the utility of SNA in analyzing social structures within educational environments.
• Provided practical resources to facilitate the adoption of SNA by researchers.
• Highlighted the flexibility and broad applicability of SNA across disciplines.

Conclusions:

• SNA is a valuable and adaptable research method for exploring complex relational data.
• The study offers practical guidance and resources for researchers applying SNA.
• Recommendations are provided for researchers interested in integrating SNA into their work.