Stochastic Actor-Oriented Model
The stochastic actor-oriented model (SAOM), implemented in the SIENA software, is a framework for analyzing the dynamics of social networks observed at two or more time points. It treats observed network panels as snapshots of an unobserved continuous-time process in which actors, at stochastically timed moments, evaluate their local network and decide whether to create, maintain, or drop a tie so as to improve their position according to an objective function.
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Sources
- Snijders, T. A. B. (2001). The statistical evaluation of social network dynamics. Sociological Methodology, 31(1), 361–395. DOI: 10.1111/0081-1750.00099 ↗
- Snijders, T. A. B., van de Bunt, G. G., & Steglich, C. E. G. (2010). Introduction to stochastic actor-based models for network dynamics. Social Networks, 32(1), 44–60. DOI: 10.1016/j.socnet.2009.02.004 ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 22). Stochastic Actor-Oriented Model (SAOM / SIENA). ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/sociology/stochastic-actor-oriented-model
Which method?
Set this method beside its closest kin and read them side by side — the library lays the books on the table; the choice is yours.
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- Latent Space Network ModelSociology↔ compare
- Relational Event ModelSociology↔ compare
- Social Network AnalysisNetwork analysis↔ compare