Social Network Analysis by Perceptual Tomography (SNAPT) combines network sampling approaches with third party reporting. Randomly chosen individuals are shown a random sample of photographs from a group to which they belong and asked to bin the photographs according to whether or not the individuals in the photographs are “close to one another”. Following this, reports on perceptions of the social characteristics of these same individuals are gathered from the same respondent. Together, these data can be used to infer perceived ties (or the absence of ties), and the perceived attributes of those involved. SNAPT greatly simplifies what are otherwise complex issues of network sampling.
The SNAPT Tablet App can be downloaded here.