Walkthrough videos and riffing

Understanding the intricate networks of social relationships and connections is a fun challenge for psychologists interested in people, groups, and social change. As a result our team has been looking at network analysis lately. This is acknowledged as a powerful methodology that allows researchers and practitioners to visualise the complex networks of individuals, organisations, communities, actions, causes, etc involved in social change endeavors. By examining the patterns of interactions, information flow, and influence within these networks, we can uncover hidden structures, identify key actors and opinion leaders, and gain insights into dynamics that drive collective action. This knowledge can empower activists and change agents to strategically mobilise resources, foster new collaborations, and target interventions to maximise their impact. Network analysis will become, we reckon, an indispensable tool for those seeking to unravel the complexities of social change processes and create sustainable positive changes in communities. 

By mapping and analysing the network connections between individuals, groups, or causes, we can identify key influencers who hold significant sway over the movement’s trajectory and success. These influencers may possess qualities bridge different groups, or serve as hubs for information dissemination. Network analysis is also able to reveal communication patterns and identify influential nodes that play a pivotal role in disseminating messages. By understanding communication patterns, we can optimise information sharing and amplify the impact of campaigns. Furthermore, network analysis can expose structural bottlenecks within the movement, highlighting areas where the flow of resources, information, or support is impeded.
​
Sooooo…. we are excited to share our collection of videos that aim to demystify the world of network analysis and demonstrate its practical application in the context of social psychological research. In these videos, we will guide you through the fundamentals of network analysis and walk you through the hands-on process of utilising popular software tools such as Gephi, NodeXL, and R. Whether you are a beginner looking to explore the power of networks or an experienced researcher seeking advanced analysis techniques, these videos provide a comprehensive introduction and practical guidance to help you harness the power of networks analysis for driving social change. We will divide the videos based on the software tools we were using: Gephi, NodeXL, and R. Progress are being made for the other videos in this topic!  All feedback is welcome, including helpfully pointing out things we got wrong.