Los problemas de validez en el análisis de redes sociales : algunas reflexiones integradoras

The analysis of social networks has come to remain long time in social sciences. Nevertheless, the tendency to consider it as an almost infallible repertoire of analysis instruments is still a temptation for its followers and also for those who do not frequent it but sees in it a kind of chimera able to respond any excellent theoretical question. According with these reflections, we will present a more or less typical division of the different stages that distinguish to an investigation of SNA to try to explain, in them, some of problematic and the methodologic decisions that can seriously affect the validity of the data, calculations and inferences. Beyond the technical specificity of the questions that we will review respect to the SNA, we have the most general objective to analyze its peculiarities under the perspective of any research process that considers a few classic topics of the scientific acquisition of knowledge: integrity, relevance and representativeness of the data, adjustment and reach of the handled hypotheses, deductive consistency of the obtained conclusions, and, finally, the possibility to generate modifications in the own object of study with the purpose of producing changes guided by a certain design of intervention.