%J Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications %N 1-2 %R 10.1016/j.physa.2004.02.033 %K PACS: 89.75.?k; 89.75.Hc; 89.65.?s. Keywords:Social networks; Assortativity %A Michele Catanzaro %A Guido Caldarelli %A Luciano Pietronero %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. %D 2004 %L eprints1116 %I Elsevier %V 338 %T Social network growth with assortative mixing %P 119-124