%0 Journal Article
%@ 0378-4371
%A Catanzaro, Michele
%A Caldarelli, Guido
%A Pietronero, Luciano
%D 2004
%F eprints:1116
%I Elsevier
%J Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications
%K PACS: 89.75.−k; 89.75.Hc; 89.65.−s. Keywords:Social networks; Assortativity
%N 1-2
%P 119-124
%T Social network growth with assortative mixing
%U http://eprints.imtlucca.it/1116/
%V 338
%X Networks representing social systems display specific features that put them apart from biological and technological ones. In particular, the number of links attached to a node is positively correlated to that of its nearest neighbours. We develop a model that reproduces this feature, starting from microscopical mechanisms of growth. The statistical properties arising from the simulations are in good agreement with those of the real-world social networks of scientists co-authoring papers in condensed matter physics. Moreover, the model highlights the determinant role of correlations in shaping the network's topology.