Dr Mary K. Allan Feb 20081 Lecture 10 Work Networks and Networks that Work

Dr Mary K. Allan Feb 2008 1

Lecture 10Work Networks and Networks

that Work


Interacting Minds, Networks of Minds

Minds interactMinds interact• Licklider (1968)

“When minds interact, new ideas emerge”

• Jordan (1999) “Virtual Lives are created through the exchange of information”

• Communication is the essence of Science

Networks at workNetworks at work• Invisible colleges

where collaboration flows

• Online communities of interest and of practice sharing and collaborating

• The UGC is the driving force creating networks/ social structures


Two conceptual issues to this lecture

The concept of a networked world not technology networking but minds – how do we connect like minded

people The concept of relations as defining social groups- If we connect through our thoughts shouldn’t those be the basis

for identifying social groups? This concept is demonstrated in relational sociology


How Do Minds Networks?


Documentary Method of Interpretation (DMI)

Garfinkel(1967) suggests that through DMI people: •Select certain facts from a given situation in order to make sense of their world, arguing that this selection is an indication of what the participants see as relevant (Koschmann et al., in press).•Garfinkel conducted an experiment in which he showed how people create what he called ‘fact production in flight’


Garfinkel’s experiment (1967)• Ten undergraduates were solicited by telling them that research was being done in

the Department of Psychiatry to explore alternative means to psychotherapy ''as a way of giving persons advice about their personal problems" (sic).

• Each subject was seen individually by an experimenter who was falsely represented as a student counselor in training.

• The subject was asked to first discuss the background to some serious problem on which he would like advice, and then to address to the "counselor" a series of questions each of which would permit a "yes" or "no" answer.

• The experimenter-counselor heard the questions and gave his answers from an adjoining room, via an inter- communication system.

• After describing his problem and furnishing some background to it, the subject asked his first question.

• After a standard pause, the experimenter announced his answer, "yes" or "no.“• According to instructions, the subject then removed a wall plug connecting him

with the counselor so that the "counselor will not hear your remarks" and tape-recorded his comments on the exchange. After these were completed, the subject plugged the microphone in and asked his next question., and thus proceeded through at least ten questions and answers. The subject had been told, "Most people want to ask at least ten questions."


Responses in Garfinkel’s experiment

• SUBJECT: I would like to know whether or not I should change my major at the present time. I have a physics major with quite a deficit in grade points to bring up to get my C average in physics. would like to switch over to mathematics. I have a little difficulty in it, but I think maybe I could handle it. I have failed several math courses here at U.C.L.A., but I have always repeated them and had C's. I have come close to getting a B in math in one specific course because I studied a little more than in others but my question is still should I change my major?

• EXPERIMENTER: My answer is no. • SUBJECT: Well he says no. And if I don't then I will have to make up my deficit in grade

points which will be awfully difficult because I am not doing too well this semester. If I pull through this semester with seven units of A then I can count on possibly going on to get my degree in physics in February, but then I have this stigma of nuclear physics facing me. I thoroughly dislike the study of nuclear physics. Nuclear Physics 124 will be one of my required courses to get a degree in physics.

• Do you think I could get a degree in physics on the basis of this knowledge that I must take Physics 124?

• EXPERIMENTER: My answer is yes. • SUBJECT: He says yes. I don't see how I can. I am not that good of a theorist. My study

habits are horrible. My reading speed is bad, and I don't spend enough time in studying.


Summary of Garfinkel’s experiment a two way street

• The interpretations and selections participants make, guides their response

So….. • Responses are representations of

the selections, and interpretations the participants are making


Garfinkel’s approach – a way of externalising mental processes

• Looking at responses as representations of interpretations and understanding, externalises mental processes, and illuminates the content and dynamics of what goes on between people rather than ‘inside’ people

• The externalised mental processes reveal networks or social structures, and the roles people assume (or allocated) in these structures, as the next slide shows


Garfinkel’s Principle in online Networks

• People choose to respond to certain topics, and in so doing create sequences of posts revealing interpretations, understandings, elaborations, development and progression of ideas

• Interpretations and understandings will guide the dynamics of sequences of responses, and create different types of networks


How Do Different Dynamics of Networks Evolve


Different Dynamics

Question> answer Comments and further issues


Global mind/ or mind as a supra individual entity

• “Communication is taking place outside of human mind” ( Anderson in reader)

• Communication is a result of choice of partner sharing interest or mutual need, resource (Garfinkel)

• Choice of partner leads to the creation of personal networks


“As a Net user you start to view yourself as an individual cell in the

growing global brain” (Anderson in reader)

Networking, collaboration and global brain


BreakBreak


The concept of a social group revisited


Shifts in perceptions of sociology• Sociology has traditionally looked at social groups

such as gender, age, socio-economic ethnic etc, as structures which define ( and constrain) the behaviour of the individuals in the group.

• The shift implied here, looks to Structural Analysis, an approach which concretes on relations relations between individuals in a group, and argues that these will determine its structure, and norms of behaviour (Degenne

and Forse1994)


Looking at Individuals/ looking at relations


Relations are more than links- the creation of supra individual

• Mr Green chooses to interact with Mr. Pink Because, Mr Pink said something that Mr. Green finds interesting and can relate to .

• The choice triggered by the interest generates a communication between the two. This communication is an external manifestation of an internal mental process

• The external manifestation creates a supra- individual mental process. It is a process visible to others and consisting of the combination of interpretations of each member’s mental processes

• In online situations this external mental process is visible, charting the network. the form of the network illustrates the dynamics and behaviour patterns it entails


But how can we identify networks?


Studying an Intentional Network

Mary’s Network

John’s network

David’s Network

Mary X X

John X X

David X X X

Are they all connected?Are they all connected? Mary is connected to DavidMary is connected to David John is connected to MaryJohn is connected to MaryOnly David is connected to bothOnly David is connected to both


Graph of the Network


Milgram’s Six Degree separation• In 1967, the social psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted a

seminal experiment to test the hypothesis that members of any large social network (in his case, the population of the UnitedStates) would be connected to each other through short chains of intermediate acquaintances.

• Migram sent passport-like packets to a few hundred randomly-selected individuals in Nebraska and Kansas, with the aim of sending the packets to one of two ``target'' in the Boston area.

• each person in the experiment could send the packet (after recording certain demographic details about themselves) only to someone whom they knew on a first-name basis, and who they thought was more likely to know the target than they were themselves.

• To inform their decisions, Milgram provided some information about the target, including their name, address, and occupation. He then tracked each of the packets, by requesting that participants tear off a card and mail it directly to him


Relations in a relational approach• A link between agents

• In online interactions a ‘relation’ is between a message and a response

• Message- response relations imply a link between the authors

• A set of links between messages sent by a single or multiple authors establishes a relation system or a network


Some Reflections

• Does the Relational approach do away with groups as we know them?

• Is everyone in the world connected?

• what does this mean for social structure?

• We are connected to several networks . Social structures, and we as agents create links between those various networks/ structures


Intentional networks celebrating heterogeneity

•Requiring revisiting methodologies of sociological research

• Heterogeneous groups are better understood if one looks at them from a relational point of view, learning about their structures behaviour and norms through the study of the relations that create them


“Personal social networks are fast becoming the alternative to the traditional organisational chart”

Nardi et.al 2000 in reader


Current Work Situations• The Reflexive individuals creating their own

networks in the workplace• Organisations frequently changing• Invisible work flows• Frequent reorganisation – affecting roles,

responsibilities, and team structures• Communication technologies changing work

base communication practices• Geographically dispersed organisations


Networked Workers Nardi et.al in reader

• Intentional networks- egocentric- build around individuals • Workers replacing predetermined roles with their own

assemblage of people who come together to collaborate for short or long periods

• Personal network enabling workers to ‘Go independent’• Less organisational control • More work for workers having to maintain and construct

their intentional networks• Workers access resources through their personal networks


Social Networks

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc




Three main needs arising

• Better tools for mining on the fly UGC

• Better tools for highlighting ‘invisible work’

• Better tools for tracking network contacts


Class Discussion

Invisible workInvisible work• Strengths and limitations to the individual• Strength and limitations to the economy


Lab Today in ClassLab Today in Class


Lab 10 from mind to network

• Read your horoscope • Write down a description of its relevance to your own life• Identify the key issue of relevancy i.e. love, career, fortune

etc.• put a small sign on your desk advertising your key issue.• form groups of shared key issue• in your group map the different groups to which each

member in your group belongs. i.e. the class group fortune, a rugby club, a reading club, single mums, gender group, age group…………..


Your personal Horoscope

It’s a shame that today is a work day or school day for you, but you can make up for it tonight when a surprise invitation is likely to take you into some exciting social circles and very lively company! Fate and fortune will be playing on your mind, and the potential for high passion continues. Be ware a mini-crisis at work or school today may well have you being too eager to take charge. Try to remember that team work is the key to all success, and this could be a great day for you! There is a danger that you may be a little brusque with friends this afternoon; be honest and they will understand, try and be a little flexible over a personal issue.

Documents

Dr Mary K. Allan Feb 20081 Lecture 10 Work Networks and Networks that Work