Sexual network
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A sexual network is a social network that is defined by the sexual relationships within a set of individuals.
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[edit] Studies & Discoveries in Sexual Networking
Like other forms of social network, sexual networks can be formally studied using the mathematics of graph theory.
Recent epidemiological studies (see below) have investigated sexual networks, and discovered that the statistical properties of sexual networks are crucial to the spread of venereal disease (VD). Sub-graphs, both large and small, can be defined within the overall sexual network graph; for example, people who frequent particular bars or clubs, belong to a particular ethnic group or take part in a particular type of sexual activity, or are part of a particular outbreak of a VD. In particular, assortative mixing between people with large numbers of sexual partners seems to be an important factor in the spread of VD.
In January 2007 two young people in the UK created a wide scale sexual networking project when they launched an international website called THE CHARTwhich takes data volunteered by members and automatically generates a visual representations of the interrelationships between them using the GraphViz graphing tool.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Kretzschmar, Mirjam. "Sexual network structure and sexually transmitted disease prevention: a modeling perspective". Sexually Transmitted Diseases volume 27, number 10 (November 2000): pages 627– 35.
- F. Liljeros et al., "The web of human sexual contacts", ‘‘Nature, Vol. 411, No.6840, 2001 June
- P. De et al. Sexual network analysis of a gonorrhea outbreak Sex Transm Infect 2004;80:280-285
- Bearman PS, Moody J, Stovel K. "Chains of affection: The structure of adolescent romantic and sexual networks,” American Journal of Sociology , Vol. 110, No. 1, 2004.
