Social Networks

This article talks about the concept of a social network, the characters that are part of it, and how it has become a way of increasing the social relations.

A social network is a social structure made up of a set of social actors (such as individuals or organizations) and a set of the dyadic ties between these actors. The social network perspective provides a set of methods for analyzing the structure of whole social entities as well as a variety of theories explaining the patterns observed in these structures.The study of these structures uses social network analysis to identify local and global patterns, locate influential entities, and examine network dynamics.

Computer networks combined with social networking software produces a new medium for social interaction. A relationship over a computerized social networking service can be characterized by context, direction, and strength. The content of a relation refers to the resource that is exchanged. In a computer mediated communication context, social pairs exchange different kinds of information, including sending a data file or a computer program as well as providing emotional support or arranging a meeting.

Taken from: WIKIPEDIA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network