Betweenness centrality as a driver of preferential attachment in the evolution of research collaboration networks |
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| Authors: | Alireza Abbasi Liaquat Hossain Loet Leydesdorff |
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| Institution: | 1. Centre for Complex Systems Research, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia;2. Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR), University of Amsterdam, Kloveniersburgwal 48, 1012 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands;1. National Research Council of Italy (IASI-CNR) and Laboratory for Studies of Research and Technology Transfer at University of Rome “Tor Vergata” – Italy;2. Laboratory for Studies of Research and Technology Transfer at University of Rome “Tor Vergata” – Italy;3. University of Siena – Italy;1. Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States;2. Institute of Physics of São Carlos, University of São Paulo, P.O. Box 369, Postal Code 13560-970, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil;1. Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR), University of Amsterdam, PO Box 15793, 1001 NG Amsterdam, The Netherlands;2. Division for Science and Innovation Studies, Administrative Headquarters of the Max Planck Society, Hofgartenstr. 8, 80539 Munich, Germany;3. Department of Information Resources Management, School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, No. 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, China;1. School of Engineering and IT, University of New South Wales, Canberra, ACT 2610, Australia;2. Graduate School of Business and Project Management, Asia Pacific International College, Sydney, NSW 2008, Australia |
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| Abstract: | We analyze whether preferential attachment in scientific coauthorship networks is different for authors with different forms of centrality. Using a complete database for the scientific specialty of research about “steel structures,” we show that betweenness centrality of an existing node is a significantly better predictor of preferential attachment by new entrants than degree or closeness centrality. During the growth of a network, preferential attachment shifts from (local) degree centrality to betweenness centrality as a global measure. An interpretation is that supervisors of PhD projects and postdocs broker between new entrants and the already existing network, and thus become focal to preferential attachment. Because of this mediation, scholarly networks can be expected to develop differently from networks which are predicated on preferential attachment to nodes with high degree centrality. |
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