Testing Unilateral and Bilateral Link Formation

Article dans une revue: Empirical analysis of social networks is often based on self-reported links from survey data. How we interpret such data is crucial for drawing correct inference on network effects. We propose a method for testing whether survey responses can safely be interpreted as a link and, if so, whether links are generated by a unilateral or bilateral link formation process. We present two empirical illustrations of the test on risk-sharing links in Tanzania and on communication among Indian farmers, respectively, demonstrating the ability of the methodology to discriminate between competing data-generating processes.

Auteur(s)

Margherita Comola, Marcel Fafchamps

Revue
  • The Economic Journal
Date de publication
  • 2014
Mots-clés JEL
D85 O13 O15 Q12 Z13
Mots-clés
  • Farmers
  • Network
  • Social networks
Pages
  • 954-976
Version
  • 1
Volume
  • 124