Linton Freeman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Linton Clarke Freeman
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| Born | 1927 |
| Died | August 17, 2018 (aged 91) |
| Education | Northwestern University (Ph.D. 1956), University of Hawaii (M.A. 1953), Roosevelt University (B.A. 1952) |
| Known for | social network, centrality |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | social network |
| Institutions | Syracuse University, University of Pittsburgh, University of Hawaii, Lehigh University, University of California, Irvine |
Linton Clarke Freeman (1927 – August 17, 2018) was an American sociologist. He was famous for his important work on social networks. Think of social networks as all the ways people are connected to each other. This includes friends, family, and even groups you belong to.
Freeman was a professor of Sociology at the University of California, Irvine. He helped us understand how these connections work. He passed away on August 17, 2018, when he was 91 years old.
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Who Was Linton Freeman?
Linton Freeman was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1927. He loved learning about how people interact. He went to several universities to study this. He earned his first degree from Roosevelt University. Later, he got his master's degree from the University of Hawaii. Finally, he earned his Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1956.
His Big Ideas About Connections
Freeman spent his career studying how people are linked together. He was a pioneer in the field of social networks. This field looks at the patterns of relationships between people. It helps us understand how information spreads. It also shows how groups form and make decisions.
Understanding Centrality
One of Freeman's most important ideas was about "centrality." Imagine a group of friends. Some friends might be at the center of the group. They might know everyone. Others might be more on the edge. Centrality helps measure how important or connected someone is in a network.
Freeman developed a way to measure something called "betweenness centrality." This sounds complicated, but it's pretty cool!
- Betweenness centrality measures how often a person acts as a bridge.
- Think of it like this: If two people want to connect, they might have to go through a third person.
- That third person has high betweenness centrality.
- They are important because they connect different parts of the network.
Starting a New Journal
Linton Freeman also helped start a very important journal. It was called Social Networks. He was the first editor of this journal. It began publishing in 1979. This journal became a key place for scientists to share their research. It helped the study of social networks grow.
Why His Work Matters
Linton Freeman's ideas are still used today. They help scientists understand many things. For example, they can study how diseases spread. They can also see how new ideas become popular. His work helps us understand our own friendships and communities better. He showed us that connections are super important!
