HSS 50th Anniversary Lecture: Matthew O. Jackson

Gossip: Identifying Central Individuals in Networks and Diffusion Processes

Matthew O. Jackson, William D. Eberle Professor of Economics, Stanford University

How can we identify the most influential nodes in a network for initiating diffusion? Are people able to easily identify those people in their communities who are best at spreading information, and if so, how? Using theory, data, and field experiments, we examine these questions and see how the structure of social networks affects the transmission of information ranging from gossip to the diffusion of new products.

Considered a pioneer of network economics by his peers, Jackson (HSS faculty, 1997-2006) has a range of research interests that includes game theory, microeconomic theory, and the study of social and economic networks. He is a Fellow of the Econometric Society and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and his honors include the Social Choice and Welfare Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Berkeley Electronic Press Arrow Prize for Senior Economists. He has served on the editorial board of Econometrica, Games and Economic Behavior, Journal of Economic Theory, and other journals.

This lecture is part of a series honoring the 50th anniversary of Caltech's Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS).