A novel model for social networks

Abstract

A number of recent studies on social networks are based on a characteristic which includes assortative mixing, high clustering, short average path lengths, broad degree distributions and the existence of community structure. Here, a model which satisfies all the above characteristics is developed. In addition, this model facilitates interaction between various communities. This model gives very high clustering coefficient by retaining the asymptotically scale-free degree distribution. Here the community structure is raised from a mixture of random attachment and implicit preferential attachment. In addition to earlier works which only considered Neighbour of Initial Contact (NIC) as implicit preferential contact, we have considered Neighbour of Neighbour of Initial Contact (NNIC) also. This model supports the occurrence of a contact between two Initial contacts if the new vertex chooses more than one initial contacts. This ultimately will develop a complex social network rather than the one that was taken as basic reference.