This paper examines the stability of egocentric networks as reported over time using a novel touchscreen-based participant-aided sociogram. Past work has noted the instability of nominated network alters, with a large proportion leaving and reappearing between interview observations. To explain this instability of networks over time, researchers often look to structural embeddedness, namely the notion that alters are connected to other alters within egocentric networks. Recent research has also asked whether the interview situation itself may play a role in conditioning respondents to what might be the appropriate size and shape of a social network, and thereby which alters ought to be nominated or not. We report on change in these networks across three waves and assess whether this change appears to be the result of natural churn in the network or whether changes might be the result of factors in the interview itself, particularly anchoring and motivated underreporting. Our results indicate little change in average network size across waves, particularly for indirect tie nominations. Slight, significant changes were noted between waves one and two particularly among those with the largest networks. Almost no significant differences were observed between waves two and three, either in terms of network size, composition, or density. Data come from three waves of a Chicago-based panel study of young men who have sex with men.

中文翻译：

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使用数字参与者辅助社会图工具 Network Canvas 评估以自我为中心的网络随时间推移的稳定性

本文使用一种新颖的基于触摸屏的参与者辅助社会图检查了随着时间的推移报告的以自我为中心的网络的稳定性。过去的工作已经注意到提名网络变更的不稳定性，很大一部分在访谈观察之间离开和重新出现。为了解释这种网络随时间的不稳定性，研究人员经常关注结构嵌入性，即改变与以自我为中心的网络中的其他改变相关联的概念。最近的研究还询问了面试情况本身是否可能在调节受访者适应社交网络的适当规模和形状方面发挥作用，因此应该提名哪些变更。我们报告了这些网络在三个浪潮中的变化，并评估这种变化是否似乎是网络中自然流失的结果，或者变化是否可能是访谈本身因素的结果，特别是锚定和有动机的漏报。我们的结果表明，各个波次的平均网络规模几乎没有变化，特别是对于间接平局提名。注意到第一波和第二波之间发生了轻微而显着的变化，特别是在拥有最大网络的那些之间。在网络大小、组成或密度方面，第二波和第三波之间几乎没有观察到显着差异。数据来自芝加哥对男男性行为者进行的三轮小组研究。我们的结果表明，各个波次的平均网络规模几乎没有变化，特别是对于间接平局提名。注意到第一波和第二波之间发生了轻微而显着的变化，特别是在拥有最大网络的那些之间。在网络大小、组成或密度方面，第二波和第三波之间几乎没有观察到显着差异。数据来自芝加哥对男男性行为者进行的三轮小组研究。我们的结果表明，各个波次的平均网络规模几乎没有变化，特别是对于间接平局提名。注意到第一波和第二波之间发生了轻微而显着的变化，特别是在拥有最大网络的那些之间。在网络大小、组成或密度方面，第二波和第三波之间几乎没有观察到显着差异。数据来自芝加哥对男男性行为者进行的三轮小组研究。