Importance of Overlapping Network Nodes in Influence Spreading

Fuente: arXiv
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Autores principales: Koistinen, Kosti, Kuikka, Vesa, Kaski, Kimmo
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2025
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author Koistinen, Kosti
Kuikka, Vesa
Kaski, Kimmo
author_facet Koistinen, Kosti
Kuikka, Vesa
Kaski, Kimmo
contents In complex networks there are overlapping substructures or "circles" that consist of nodes belonging to multiple cohesive subgroups. Yet the role of these overlapping nodes in influence spreading processes remains underexplored. In the present study, we analyse networks with circle structures using a probabilistic influence spreading model for processes of simple and complex contagion. We quantify the roles of nodes using three metrics, i.e., In-Centrality, Out-Centrality, and Betweenness Centrality that represent the susceptibility, spreading power, and mediatory role of nodes, respectively, and find that at each stage of the spreading process the overlapping nodes consistently exhibit greater influence than the non-overlapping ones. Furthermore, we observe that the criteria to define circles shape the overlapping effects. When we restrict our analysis to only largest circles, we find that circles reflect not only node-level attributes but also of topological importance. These findings clarify the distinction between local attribute-driven circles and global community structures, thus highlighting the strategic importanc of overlapping nodes in spreading dynamics. This provides foundation for future research on overlapping nodes in both circles and communities.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_24360
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Importance of Overlapping Network Nodes in Influence Spreading
Koistinen, Kosti
Kuikka, Vesa
Kaski, Kimmo
Social and Information Networks
In complex networks there are overlapping substructures or "circles" that consist of nodes belonging to multiple cohesive subgroups. Yet the role of these overlapping nodes in influence spreading processes remains underexplored. In the present study, we analyse networks with circle structures using a probabilistic influence spreading model for processes of simple and complex contagion. We quantify the roles of nodes using three metrics, i.e., In-Centrality, Out-Centrality, and Betweenness Centrality that represent the susceptibility, spreading power, and mediatory role of nodes, respectively, and find that at each stage of the spreading process the overlapping nodes consistently exhibit greater influence than the non-overlapping ones. Furthermore, we observe that the criteria to define circles shape the overlapping effects. When we restrict our analysis to only largest circles, we find that circles reflect not only node-level attributes but also of topological importance. These findings clarify the distinction between local attribute-driven circles and global community structures, thus highlighting the strategic importanc of overlapping nodes in spreading dynamics. This provides foundation for future research on overlapping nodes in both circles and communities.
title Importance of Overlapping Network Nodes in Influence Spreading
topic Social and Information Networks
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.24360