Compare methods
Review your selected methods side by side; rows that differ are highlighted.
| Sequence Analysis× | Social Network Analysis× | |
|---|---|---|
| Field≠ | Sociology | Network analysis |
| Family≠ | Process / pipeline | Machine learning |
| Year of origin≠ | 1980s–2000 (sociological consolidation) | 1934 (sociometry); 1994 (modern formalization) |
| Originator≠ | Andrew Abbott (introduced to sociology) | Moreno, J.L.; formalized by Wasserman & Faust |
| Type≠ | Holistic analysis of categorical state sequences over time | Structural/relational analysis framework |
| Seminal source≠ | Abbott, A., & Tsay, A. (2000). Sequence analysis and optimal matching methods in sociology: review and prospect. Sociological Methods & Research, 29(1), 3–33. DOI ↗ | Wasserman, S. & Faust, K. (1994). Social Network Analysis: Methods and Applications. Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 978-0-521-38707-1 |
| Aliases | social sequence analysis, life-course sequence analysis, categorical sequence analysis, trajectory analysis | SNA, network analysis, sociometric analysis, relational analysis |
| Related | 5 | 5 |
| Summary≠ | Sequence analysis is a holistic method for studying ordered categorical trajectories — such as month-by-month employment states, family life-course events, or daily activity patterns — by treating each individual's whole sequence as a unit, measuring how dissimilar pairs of sequences are, and grouping them into a typology of characteristic pathways. Introduced to sociology by Andrew Abbott, it shifts attention from isolated transitions to the shape of entire life courses. | Social Network Analysis (SNA) is a structural method that maps and measures relationships and flows between people, groups, organizations, or other entities modeled as nodes connected by ties (edges). Rather than focusing on individual attributes, SNA reveals how the pattern of connections shapes behavior, influence, information flow, and outcomes within a system. |
| ScholarGateDataset ↗ |
|
|