Dose-response function approach for detecting spreading processes in temporal network data: Exploring social contagion in the Copenhagen Networks Study

Spreading or complex contagion processes on networks are an important mechanistic foundation of tipping dynamics and other nonlinear phenomena in complex social, ecological and technological systems. Increasing amounts of temporal network data are now becoming available to study such spreading processes of behaviours, opinions, ideas, diseases, innovations or technologies and to test hypotheses regarding their specific properties. To this end, we here present a methodology based on dose-response functions and hypothesis testing using surrogate data sets. We demonstrate this methodology for synthetic temporal network data generated by the adaptive voter model. Furthermore, we apply it to empirical temporal network data from the Copenhagen Networks Study. This data set provides a physically-close-contact network between university students participating in the study over the course of three months. We study the potential spreading dynamics of the health-related behaviour regularly going to the fitness studio on this network. Based on a hierarchy of surrogate data models, we find that the empirical data neither provide significant evidence for an influence of a dose-response-type network spreading process, nor significant evidence for homophily. The empirical dynamics in exercise behaviour are likely better described by individual features such as the disposition towards the behaviour, and the persistence to maintain it, as well as external influences affecting the whole group, and the non-trivial network structure. The proposed methodology is generic and promising also for applications to other data sets and traits of interest.