Generalized blockmodeling of valued networks

Generalized valued blockmodeling is an approach of the generalized blockmodeling, dealing with valued networks (e.g., non-binary).

While the generalized blockmodeling significes a "formal and integrated approach for the study of the underlying functional anatomies of virtually any set of relational data", it is in principle used for binary networks. This is evident from the set of ideal blocks, which are used to interprete blockmodels, that are binary, based on the characteristic link patterns. Because of this, such templates are "not readily comparable with valued empirical blocks".

To allow generalized blockmodeling of valued directional (one-mode) networks (e.g. allowing the direct comparisons of empirical valued blocks with ideal binary blocks), a non-parametric approach is used. With this, "an optional parameter determines the prominence of valued ties as a minimum percentual deviation between observed and expected flows". Such two-sided application of parameter then intruduces "the possibility of non-determined ties, i.e. valued relations that are deemed neither prominent (1) nor non-prominent (0)." Resulted occurrences of links then motivate the modification of the calculation of inconsistencies between empirical and ideal blocks. At the same time, such links also give a possibility to measure the interpretational certainty, which is specific to each ideal block. Such maximum two-sided deviation threshold, holding the aggregate uncertainty score at zero or near-zero levels, is then proposed as "a measure of interpretational certainty forvalued blockmodels, in effect transforming the optional parameterinto an outgoing stat".

See also

• generalized binary blockmodeling
• generalized homogenity blockmodeling