Editing Small-world experiment (section)

===Linking Social Capital to the Small-World Phenomenon===
The small-world phenomenon, originally demonstrated by [[Stanley Milgram]]'s experiment, suggests that individuals in large social networks are connected through surprisingly short chains of acquaintances. This structural property has significant implications for [[social capital]], which refers to the resources and benefits that individuals or groups can access through their social connections. Research has shown that [[small-world networks]] optimize both local clustering and global reach, facilitating the efficient flow of information and trust. In such networks, social capital is enhanced as [[weak ties]]—bridges between otherwise distant clusters—enable access to diverse resources and opportunities. These weak ties, often described in [[Mark Granovetter]]'s strength of weak ties theory, act as conduits for novel information and [[social mobility]]. Moreover, small-world structures support both bonding social capital, by reinforcing strong community ties, and bridging social capital, by connecting disparate [[social groups]].<ref>{{cite journal | title=Linking Social Capital to Small-worlds: A look at local and network-level processes and structure | date=2009 | first1=Christina | last1=Prell | journal=Methodological Innovations Online | volume=4 | pages=8–22 | doi=10.1177/205979910900400102 | doi-access=free }}</ref>

Empirical studies have linked the small-world topology to [[innovation diffusion]], job-market efficiency, and collective action, demonstrating that network structure plays a crucial role in shaping social capital at both individual and societal levels.<ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378437114000946 | title=The impact of network characteristics on the diffusion of innovations | date=11 February 2014 | first1=Renana| last1=Peres| journal=Physica A | volume=402 | pages=330–343 | author-link1=Renana Peres | doi=10.1016/j.physa.2014.02.003 | bibcode=2014PhyA..402..330P | access-date=1 April 2025| url-access=subscription }}</ref>