An Experimental Study of the Theory of Structural Balance

Morrissette, Julian O.

doi:10.1177/001872675801100304

Cited by 93 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 9 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Although several methods have been proposed (Harary, Norman, and Cartwright, 1965;Morrissette, 1958;Morrissette, Jahnke, and Baker, 1966;Abelson and Rosenberg, 1958), the present application is a fairly general one based on recent work by Norman and Roberts (1972a, b). The measure of the form !f(m)cm +/!f(m)cm , where C m + is the number of balanced semicycles of length m, C m is the total number of semicycles of length m, andfl m) is a monotone decreasing function of m. This amounts to weighting shorter semicycles more heavily than larger 158 semicycles, because they represent more direct chains of reasoning, Norman and Roberts (1972a) provide some discussion of how to choose the function f(m), but in the present model any decreasing monotone function provides the same balance ordering of configurations, and 11m was chosen.…”

Section: Likes (Dislikes)mentioning

confidence: 99%

It's the Thought that Counts: A Signed Digraph Analysis of Gift-Giving

Belk¹

1976

J CONSUM RES

204

150

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Section: Likes (Dislikes)mentioning

confidence: 99%

It's the Thought that Counts: A Signed Digraph Analysis of Gift-Giving

Belk¹

1976

J CONSUM RES

204

150

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Numerous psychological experiments, pioneered by Morrissette (1958), have shown balance theory to be one of the outstanding developments in the field of social structure and attitude change.…”

Section: The Structural Balance Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Balance of Power in International History

Healy

Stein

1973

Journal of Conflict Resolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Many observers have recently noted that the international system is evolving into a multipolar world. At the same time, the notion of balance of power is being severely criticized for its vagueness and inconsistency. Seven empirically testable propositions which exemplify refined and narrowed notions of balance of power are reviewed and analyzed in this paper. These propositions, authored by one of four major approaches to the multipolar system: (1) the rules of a theoretical balance of power system, (2) the functioning of alliances, (3) historical systemic periodization, and (4) the application of structural balance theory to the international system. The Situational Analysis Project provided the data for testing these propositions over the first twelve years of the "Bismarckian system," 1870 through 1881. The propositions did not hold up well under detailed testing. The rules of the balance of power system were violated—in particular, an "ingratiation effect" was found in place of the balance-restoring mechanism; alliances led to a lessening of cooperation and attention between allies; and historical periodization was found to be inaccurate. The findings, however, did support the fundamental assumption underlying the structural balance theory. Since the future may be quite like the nineteenth century in terms of structure, a reevaluation of the Bismarckian system is not an irrelevant exercise but rather an inquiry into the functioning of a system we may actually have to operate. AUTHORS' NOTE: The authors wish to express deepest thanks to Professor Richard Rosecrance for his generous encouragement, support, and cntical stimulation.

show abstract

“…Such predictability would rest largely on a knowledge of the amount of "structural strain" characteristic of different social situations, i.e., strain resulting from imbalances or inconsistencies in the network of relations. Heider's (1946Heider's ( , 1958 balance theory, especially as generalized by Cartwright & Harary (1956), has attempted just this sort of prediction and has been largly supported by experimental verification (Jordan, 1953;Burdick & Burnes, 1958;Kogan & Tagiuri, 1958;Morrissette, 1958;Davol, 1959;Zajonc & Burnstein, 1965;De Soto, Henley, & London, 1968). A second approach to the prediction of *Now at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., Canada.…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%