Semantic Networks and Shared Understanding: A Network-Based Approach to Representing and Visualizing Shared Understanding
Semantic Networks and Shared Understanding: A Network-Based Approach to Representing and Visualizing Shared Understanding
Semantic networks were developed in the organizational communication literature to provide a means of representing the shared interpretations that people have of organizational message content. Semantic networks can also be used, we suggest, to support the representation and visualization of shared understanding in military coalition contexts. The basic approach is to create a network representing the degree of similarity between individuals with respect to their understanding of some item of interest. In principle, the data for such networks could be obtained in a variety of ways, although, in the current paper, we focus on the use of ‘cultural models’ (developed at either the individual or group level) to provide a measure of shared understanding. The use of a semantic network based approach to representing and visualizing shared understanding has a number of advantages, each of which are discussed at length in the current paper. These include the use of network techniques to analyse changes in shared understanding across time (particularly in response to organizational and technological changes) and the easy identification of individuals that may play special roles in supporting cross-community understanding. Furthermore, by combining semantic networks with techniques such as cultural network analysis (which can be used to develop individual- or group-level mental models) we can create semantic network models of shared understanding at either the individual or collective level. In the latter case, the technique affords a means of representing and visualizing the degree of shared understanding between specific cultural groups, and it is therefore ideally suited to military coalition environments, which feature the requisite inter-operation of culturally- and linguistically-disparate communities.
shared understanding, semantic networks, cultural network analysis, mental models, coalition operations, military plans
Smart, Paul R
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Sieck, Winston
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Sycara, Katia
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Shadbolt, Nigel R
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14 September 2010
Smart, Paul R
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Sieck, Winston
ac2c11f2-da8e-4d51-9e08-c741938db3ae
Sycara, Katia
df200c43-d34d-4093-bb4e-493fea2d0732
Shadbolt, Nigel R
5c5acdf4-ad42-49b6-81fe-e9db58c2caf7
Smart, Paul R, Sieck, Winston, Sycara, Katia and Shadbolt, Nigel R
(2010)
Semantic Networks and Shared Understanding: A Network-Based Approach to Representing and Visualizing Shared Understanding.
4th Annual Conference of the International Technology Alliance (ACITA'10), London, United Kingdom.
14 - 16 Sep 2010.
Record type:
Conference or Workshop Item
(Paper)
Abstract
Semantic networks were developed in the organizational communication literature to provide a means of representing the shared interpretations that people have of organizational message content. Semantic networks can also be used, we suggest, to support the representation and visualization of shared understanding in military coalition contexts. The basic approach is to create a network representing the degree of similarity between individuals with respect to their understanding of some item of interest. In principle, the data for such networks could be obtained in a variety of ways, although, in the current paper, we focus on the use of ‘cultural models’ (developed at either the individual or group level) to provide a measure of shared understanding. The use of a semantic network based approach to representing and visualizing shared understanding has a number of advantages, each of which are discussed at length in the current paper. These include the use of network techniques to analyse changes in shared understanding across time (particularly in response to organizational and technological changes) and the easy identification of individuals that may play special roles in supporting cross-community understanding. Furthermore, by combining semantic networks with techniques such as cultural network analysis (which can be used to develop individual- or group-level mental models) we can create semantic network models of shared understanding at either the individual or collective level. In the latter case, the technique affords a means of representing and visualizing the degree of shared understanding between specific cultural groups, and it is therefore ideally suited to military coalition environments, which feature the requisite inter-operation of culturally- and linguistically-disparate communities.
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Semantic_Networksv3.pdf
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Published date: 14 September 2010
Additional Information:
Event Dates: 14th - 16th September 2010
Venue - Dates:
4th Annual Conference of the International Technology Alliance (ACITA'10), London, United Kingdom, 2010-09-14 - 2010-09-16
Keywords:
shared understanding, semantic networks, cultural network analysis, mental models, coalition operations, military plans
Organisations:
Web & Internet Science
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 271452
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/271452
PURE UUID: af821b85-41b0-4bf7-a894-be613606ec43
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Date deposited: 28 Jul 2010 20:02
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:15
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Contributors
Author:
Paul R Smart
Author:
Winston Sieck
Author:
Katia Sycara
Author:
Nigel R Shadbolt
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