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***** To join INSNA, visit http://www.insna.org ***** >>> Steve Borgatti <[log in to unmask]> 10/18/2005 10:05:05 AM >>> wrote <<<<< I realize that in asking whether it is "allowed", you are just using shorthand. But it gives me an opportunity to get something off my chest. I hate a certain religious (and simultaneously postmodernist) perspective toward statistics which says that it consists of a bunch of arbitrary rules that must be memorized (but not understood) in order to be part of the congregation. Experts become high priests who "let you" (or don't) do things with your data. The focus on the social functions of statistical knowledge obscures and undermines the idea that there is actually a logic to statistics and measurement. The applicability of a method or statistic varies with context, and is a function of matching the real world system to the logic of the statistic. If the semantic relation in the concept map is "enables", then a node that enables many concepts which themselves enable many concepts is a very influential node, and measures of influence such as Hubbell's and Katz's make a lot of sense. Degree makes sense too. Even betweenness might be interpretable. >>> Amen to that. An excellent book taking this perspective and applying it to statistics as practiced in the social sciences is Statistics as Principled Argument by Robert Abelson. Peter Peter L. Flom, PhD Assistant Director, Statistics and Data Analysis Core Center for Drug Use and HIV Research National Development and Research Institutes 71 W. 23rd St http://cduhr.ndri.org www.peterflom.com New York, NY 10010 (212) 845-4485 (voice) (917) 438-0894 (fax) _____________________________________________________________________ SOCNET is a service of INSNA, the professional association for social network researchers (http://www.insna.org). To unsubscribe, send an email message to [log in to unmask] containing the line UNSUBSCRIBE SOCNET in the body of the message.