Lotka's distribution and distribution of co-author pairs’ frequencies

Hildrun Kretschmer and Theo Kretschmer

Journal of Informetrics, 2007, vol. 1, issue 4, 308-337

Abstract: The original Lotka's Law refers to single scientist distribution, i.e. the frequency of authors Ai with i publications per author is a function of i: Ai=f(i). However, with increasing collaboration in science and in technology the study of the frequency of pairs or triples of co-authors is highly relevant. Starting with pair distribution well-ordered collaboration structures of co-author pairs will be presented, i.e. the frequency of co-author pairs Nij between authors with i publications per author and authors with j publications per author is a function of i and j: Nij=f(i, j) using the normal count procedure for counting i or j. We have assumed that the distribution of co-author pairs’ frequencies can be considered to be reflection of a social Gestalt and therefore can be described by the corresponding mathematical function based on well-known general characteristics of structures in interpersonal relations in social networks. We have shown that this model of social Gestalts can better explain the distribution of co-author pairs than by a simple bivariate function in analogy to Lotka's Law. This model is based on both the Gestalt theory and the old Chinese Yin/Yang theory.

Keywords: Lotka's distribution; Collaboration; Co-authors; Gestalt theory; Yin–Yang-teaching (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:infome:v:1:y:2007:i:4:p:308-337

DOI: 10.1016/j.joi.2007.07.003

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