Mark S. Handcock

"A simple model for complex networks with arbitrary degree distribution and clustering"

Presented at the Models of Infectious Disease Agent Study (MIDAS) Consultation on Social Networks, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, NIH

January 5 2005, Washington, D.C.

We present a stochastic model for networks with arbitrary degree distributions and average clustering coefficient. Many descriptions of networks are based solely on their computed degree distribution and clustering coefficient. We propose a statistical model based on these characterizations. This model generalizes models based solely on the degree distribution. We present alternative parameterizations of the model. Each parameterization of the model is interpretable and tunable. We present a simple Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm to generate networks with the specified characteristics. The model is generalizable to include mixing based on attributes and other complex social structure.