Network stability in longitudinal data: A case study from rural Malawi

• Published in: Social networks Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 231 - 247
• Main Author: Assche, S. Bignami Van
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.07.2005; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Developing countries; Egocentrism; Empirical research; Error of Measurement; Group Dynamics; History, theory and methodology; Longitudinal data; Longitudinal studies; Malawi; Measurement; Measurement bias; Methodology; Network analysis; Network stability; Regression analysis; Research methods; Rural Areas; Social Equilibrium; Social Networks; Social stability; Sociology; Structural analysis; Malawi; Developing countries; Longitudinal data; Network stability; Measurement bias; Follow-up study; Measurement; Stability; Network
• ISSN: 0378-8733; 1879-2111
• DOI: 10.1016/j.socnet.2005.02.001

This paper investigates the stability of egocentric informal conversational networks in rural Malawi by analyzing reinterview data collected by a longitudinal survey. Contrary to the findings of test–retest studies carried out in developed countries, in rural Malawi geographically and socially close networks are found to exhibit a low level of stability even over short periods of time. This is mainly attributed to the specific structure of the networks considered, and it is therefore recommended that the importance of measurement bias should not be overemphasized. It is also found that, despite the significant changes in the named partners, network size and reported actions of network partners are quite stable, thus suggesting a negligible impact of network instability for further analyses of these data.