Sunbelt XXXI International Network for Social Network ... - INSNA

Social Dynamics Of Morale: Influence And Selection Of Army Attitudes In Military OrganizationsCoronges, Kathryn; Lospinoso, JoshLeadership NetworksLeadership, Cognitive Similarity, Military, Stochastic Actor‐ Oriented ModelsSAT.PM1Contagion of values and beliefs throughout organizations has important implications for team cohesiveness and effectiveness. Group‐task studies have shownthat cognitive similarities lead to more effective & efficient communication, collaboration, problem‐solving and coordination of activities (Levesque et al. 2001;Palazzolo, 2005; Palazzolo et al., 2006). The current study focuses on the role of shared cognitions on friendship, leadership and communication networks.Monthly surveys identify military, team, and opinion leaders among a small group of mid‐career soldiers at West Point, US Military Academy (USMA). Emailinteractions of the soldiers are monitored, which is facilitated by USMA‐server enabled blackberry devices that were distributed to participants. Actor‐orientedstochastic models are used to assess whether there are preferences for individuals whose cognitions map well onto Army promoted values. In addition, modelsevaluate whether social structures tend to form around shared conviction of Army‐promoted values, measured as both explicit and implicit cognitions. Whilepast studies have successfully studied the importance of converging mental maps around organizational tasks, few if any, have looked at social and behavioraldynamics among soldiers and from the perspective of military leadership. Results will reveal various dimensions of leadership and group cohesion withinmilitary organizations.Social Network Analysis And PhilosophyBergenholtz, CarstenNetwork TheorySocial Network Analysis, PhilosophyTHURS.AM2The aim of the present study is to root social network analysis in the history of philosophy. One could argue that the nature of social network analysis isinstrumental and utilitarian, since the main purpose is to codify and measure relations and be able to explain x, or vice versa. In this sense the roots of SNA canbe traced back to Hobbes and in particular Mill and their approach to social relations. In his theory of recognition and the master‐slave terminology, Hegelintroduces a different conception of social relation. If one bases SNA on a Hegelian tradition, a social relation is not as dyadic as much traditional SNA wouldargue, but to a much bigger extent relying on the (historical) context of the social interaction. The methodological implications that can be drawn from thishistory of philosophy will be discussed, e.g. that SNA to a larger extent should pay attention to the individuals (as Kilduff & Krackhardt argue) and in particularinclude the institutional context (as Owen‐Smith & Powell argue).