Strong ties are more intensive and intimate and are typically described as being more cohesive. They place more substantial expectations on reciprocity. The stronger one's tie to another actor, the stronger ties one has to the given network, and the increased chance that both parties will become connected to everyone in their networks. The stronger the tie connecting two individuals, the more similar they are in terms of socio-cultural characteristics and access to information.  Multiple, interconnected strong ties form high density networks (i.e. cliques, families, etc.).

Strong Ties

Weak ties are part of an individual’s extended network where the frequency and intimacy of interaction tend to be less than those of strong ties. As such they have a unique function to serve as “bridges” to other actors and networks outside of an individual’s own network, and consequentially, access and flow of information diffuses more quickly and efficiently.  For instance, these ties are characterized on the level of acquaintance than that of something like a friend.

Weak Ties

Strong and weak tie mechanics on small scale interactions apply to larger scale interactions on a structural level.  For instance, they explain why some communities organize for common goals easily and effectively whereas others seem unable to mobilize resources.  When facing a crisis of urban renewal which threatened to uproot their communities, the Italian community in Boston’s West End failed to stem this threat while the working class community Boston’s Charlestown.  Communities in Boston’s West End were observed to be disconnected from each other in separate cliques where members rarely associated with members from outside groups whereas Charlestown’s communities where more interlinked via formal clubs and organizations of association where inter-group interaction was common.  As a result, as information of the Boston’s urban renewal plans began to spread, Groups in the West End circulated the information among themselves, whereas in Charlestown, information disseminated more quickly through groups that were interconnected by association and leadership figures who were able to organize a response and a subsequent campaign to oppose the city’s plans.

Macro-Micro Connection

Example of survey item measuring tie strength from the Census's 2017 Civic Supplemental Survey.  Strength of a tie is also known as intensivity, which attempts to capture frequency and quality of interaction with another tie, related to the four dimensions that Granovetter espoused 

https://www.census.gov/data/datasets/2017/demo/cps/cps-civic.html

Measurement

Conceptually, the strength of a tie is measured in terms of distinct, but intercorrelated dimensions, which characterize each tie.  These dimensions are the amount of time, emotional intensity , intimacy, and mutual reciprocity between two individuals linked via a dyadic tie.   

Low levels of these four dimensions between two individuals is characteristic of a weak tie and high levels of  these dimensions are considered characteristic of a strong tie. 

Augustana College (IL)

Granovetter attempts to create a conceptual bridge the gap between the often disparate perspectives of macro and micro theories by analyzing and characterizing the mechanics and level of intensity of dyadic ties between individuals within a social network.  He demonstrates how an analysis on micro level, small scale interactions such as those between individual within a network can be extrapolated to understand large scale, macro processes on an institutional and societal level.  He specifically promotes the utility of weak ties for maximizing the utility and effectiveness of interpersonal networks.

Strength of Weak Ties, Mark S. Granovetter

Granovetter, Mark (1973). “The strength of weak ties.” American Journal of Sociology 78:1360-1380.

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