Visualizing Computational Social Science: The Multiple Lives of a Complex Image

Parallel advances in communication and visualization technologies have enabled the study and visualization of human behavior at a scale and level of detail never before possible. Nowhere are these advances more evident than within the emerging field of computational social science. Using Adamic and Glance’s image of the political blogosphere as an example and social representations theory as a guiding framework, we explore how computational social science visualizations may aid and complicate public understanding of this new science. We conclude with a discussion of best practices for the production and reuse of computational social science images for public consumption.