Harnessing the Potential of Social Networks

The ABCs of using social network approaches to design and evaluate health & development programs

Harnessing the Potential of Social Networks

Overview

1. What is social network analysis (SNA)?

2. SNA and intervention design

3. SNA-based intervention planning

4. SNA and monitoring & evaluation

A theoretical perspective applied to research and programs

• Recognizes that individuals interact with, learn from, and get information from other people

• Focuses on relationships, not individuals

Social network analysis: What is it?

“Who delivers the message, and in what interpersonal context, may be just as, if no more important, than the message itself, and may result in better, more relevant, and perhaps more effective programs.”

- Valente & Fosados, 2006

Social Network Analysis: Theory and Methods

• Views world as nodes and connectors

• Key technique in sociology, anthropology, biology, communications, information science

Network grid

For women, probe on: husband, mother, mother-in-law, co-wives

For men, probe on: co-wives, father, male relatives

Entire social network in one village in Bandiagara: Influence

WomensMensNominated

Size = Influence

Distinguishing characteristics of SNA

Network Analysis Traditional Analysis

Unit of analysis

Structure of ties affects individuals and their relationships

Individuals and their attributes

Determinants of behavior

Structure and composition of ties

Socialization into norms

Metrics Betweeness, centrality, cohesion, density

Characteristics, attitudes, behaviors

Presentation/analysis

Visual representation Tables/graphs

Why a social network focus?

• Women and men make decisions not as individuals but as actors in a social system.

• Social structures are resources to diffuse and support innovations SOCIETY

COMMUNITY

RELATIONSHIPS

INDIVIDUAL

How do networks support diffusion?

Social Influence

Social Learning

Single innovator

More innovators

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Social networks influence diffusion through….

Social learning Network members exchange ideas and information; and evaluate the relative benefits of innovation

Social influenceNetwork members follow norms of gatekeepers to gain approval and avoid conflict.

Networks and Adoption

Adoption is higher when an individual is:

- Highly interconnected- Centrally located in their

network- In a network with others

who support and practice the innovation

- In an open network that supports exposure to new ideas

Overview





How do SN interventions differ from conventional outreach approaches?

• Focused on changing flow of information and social influence, rather than on individual behavior

• Address social norms rather than practices

• Work through informal as well as formal leaders to diffuse change through networks

• Use influencers/connectors to inform, facilitate comparison, filter conflicting information and model attitudes/behaviors

Using social networks for learning and influence

1. Opinion Leaders / Leaders Influents

2. Strategically Targeted Groups / Groupes Stratégiquement Ciblé

3. Leaders of Established Groups / Leaders des groupes établis

4. Snowball Approach / Chacun invite trois

5. Bridges and Connectors / Liaison & connecteurs

6. Rewiring linkages, ties / Reconfiguration de liens

1. Engaging Opinion Leaders

1. Engaging Opinion Leaders

What it is:• Working with individuals who have formal

power (religious leaders, clan leaders, elected officials)

• Work with supporters or transform negative opinions into positive ones

Considerations:• Legitimizes innovation• Role models• Addressing norms leads to sustainable change

2. Working with strategically selected groups

2. Strategically Targeted Groups

What it is:• Designing an intervention to be implemented

by or within the group• Example: Field workers lead FP discussions

during water and sanitation committee meetings

Considerations:• Information travels easily throughout group• Builds on existing connections• Reinforce/support new behaviors• Changing group norms reduces individual risk

3. Working with Leaders of Established Groups

3. Leaders of Established Groups

What it is:• Work with leader of group, who in turn,

coordinates/leads the group intervention• Example: Leaders of women’s savings and

loans associations trained in FP and asked to discuss during group meetings

Considerations:• Depends on leader’s persuasiveness• Leader may not wish to be “positive deviant”

4. Snowball Approach

4. Snowball Approach

What it is:• One individual informs/influences/invites two

friends. Those two individuals reach their friends and so on.

• Example: Chacun invite trois , peer educators

Considerations:• Effective in reaching “hard-to-reach” groups• Participants “own” intervention• Model positive “deviant” behavior

5. Activating & Supporting Bridges and ConnectorsWhat it is:• Intervene through individuals who interact

with two or more unconnected groups • Create or break bridge ties to strengthen or

weaken information diffusion • Example: CBD workers bridges clinics and

clients, mothers-in-law bridge FP information to daughter-in-law

Considerations:• Can diffuse information between groups• Bridge persons can be bottlenecks

6. Rewiring Linkages or Ties

6. Rewiring Linkages or Ties

What it is:• Purposely connecting individuals who would

otherwise not interact with each other• Example: creating elder learning groups to

connect women elders; connecting MOH staff in different technical areas by rearranging office space

Considerations:• Strengthens communication flow• Difficult to purposively change current

network

Application of SNA: Study and Plan

Assess Determine who has most risk Learn who is marginalized and how to reach them

Program design: Who

Identify leaders, alternative role models. advocates

Identify who people feel comfortable talking with Identify cliques

Program design: What

Identify information sources and flow Assess quality of communication

Program Monitoring

Assess how information flows Map community changes Track coverage

Application of SNA: Act

Strengthen relationships and communication

• Map networks and create linkages to services

• Develop referral systems

Build community support • Build support for and incorporate marginalized

Social Networks in Action: Youth Peer Program

Provide multiple role models and ensure diffusion throughout the network

Selection of peer leaders − with highest # of nomination− who represent cliques − who are bridges

Social Networks in Action:NGO/AIDS and Youth Networks

Map NGOs• who they reach, services, activities

Assessment• Reliance on central coordinating bodies • Need to decentralize to smaller sub-networks• Few youth/minority serving organizations

Strategy:• Build networks of youth organizations beyond NGO/AIDS • Pull from periphery to greater influence

Overview





Project TJ Example: Process for designing SN interventions

1. Formative research identifies structure of social networks and FP attitudes of network members

2. Visioning exercise

3. Define intervention goals and objectives

How will the community be different as a result of this

program?

What will you see and hear as you walk through the community in five years?

Design Process (cont.)

4. Develop criteria for selecting SN intervention• Example: scalable, build on existing networks, gender

perspective, potential for sustained change

5. Brainstorm interventions (using resources such as research results, selection criteria, taxonomy of SN approaches)

• Identify problem to address (e.g. male opposition)• Brainstorm SN intervention approaches• Prioritize/select intervention(s)

6. Obtain input from broader group of stakeholders

Tool: Social Network Design Grid

Who will influence?

Who will be influenced?

What activities? SN approach(es)

Mothers-in-law

• Daughters-in-law

• Sons

Teas with mothers-in-laws

Activity-based discussions facilitated by animators

MILs talk with others

Snowball

Grin members via social leader

• Grin members

• Their wives• Other male

friends

Animators catalyze reflective dialogs with grin leaders

Request to talk with others

Informal leaders of groups

Snowball

MOH supervisors and CHWs

• Male social groups

CHWs visit grins and give clinic tour

Reconfiguring networks

Problem: FP use among newly married couples considered unacceptable

Overview





Theoretical considerations for measuring innovation diffusion

• Need to monitor implementation and change at multiple levels

• Theory of change draws from:• Individual behavior change models

(Health Belief Model, Trans-theoretical)

• Ecological models

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Social network approaches to monitoring and evaluation

Monitoring

Include process indicators related to networks

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Methods

• Ego-centric mapping conducted with a representative sample generalizable to entire population

• Measure changes in network structure and member attitudes

Socio-centric network mapping

1. Explains how information and influence diffuse through entire network

2. Guides development of interventions to harness social learning and influence

Ego-centered network mapping

1. Measures the effect of interventions on individual knowledge, attitudes and practices

2. Identifies changes in the way information and influence diffuse

3. representative sample generalizable to entire population

Network properties

Flow of fertility/FP info

through network partners

Mean/% of network

Size and composition of

women’s network

% who report network partners

use FP

Social factors

Perception that husband and

network partners support FP

Couple communication (index score)

Woman/couple efficacy for FP

use

Community catalyzing capacity

Ownership/ participation

among members to

interventions

% of members with favorable

attitudes

Cohesive social network

supporting FP use

Individual changes

Use of FP services

Men/women with unmet need

Proportion of segments p/year

with met need for effective FP

Method continuation

Illustrative Outcome Indicators

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http://tinyurl.com/terikunda-jekulu

Rebecka Lundgren: [email protected]

http://tinyurl.com/terikunda-jekulu

Documents

Harnessing the Potential of Social Networks