ergm-package: ergm: Fit, Simulate and Diagnose Exponential-Family Models...

In ergm: Fit, Simulate and Diagnose Exponential-Family Models for Networks

ergm: Fit, Simulate and Diagnose Exponential-Family Models for Networks

Description

An integrated set of tools to analyze and simulate networks based on exponential-family random graph models (ERGMs). 'ergm' is a part of the Statnet suite of packages for network analysis. See Hunter, Handcock, Butts, Goodreau, and Morris (2008) \Sexpr[results=rd]{tools:::Rd_expr_doi("10.18637/jss.v024.i03")} and Krivitsky, Hunter, Morris, and Klumb (2023) \Sexpr[results=rd]{tools:::Rd_expr_doi("10.18637/jss.v105.i06")}.

Details

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For a complete list of the functions, use library(help="ergm") or read the rest of the manual. For a simple demonstration, use demo(packages="ergm").

When publishing results obtained using this package, please cite the original authors as described in citation(package="ergm").

All programs derived from this package must cite it. Please see the file LICENSE and https://statnet.org/attribution.

Recent advances in the statistical modeling of random networks have had an impact on the empirical study of social networks. Statistical exponential family models \insertCiteStIk90p;textualergm are a generalization of the Markov random network models introduced by \insertCiteFrSt86m;textualergm, which in turn derived from developments in spatial statistics \insertCiteBe74s;textualergm. These models recognize the complex dependencies within relational data structures. To date, the use of stochastic network models for networks has been limited by three interrelated factors: the complexity of realistic models, the lack of simulation tools for inference and validation, and a poor understanding of the inferential properties of nontrivial models.

This manual introduces software tools for the representation, visualization, and analysis of network data that address each of these previous shortcomings. The package relies on the network package which allows networks to be represented in . The ergm package implements maximum likelihood estimates of ERGMs to be calculated using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (via ergm()). The package also provides tools for simulating networks (via simulate.ergm()) and assessing model goodness-of-fit (see mcmc.diagnostics() and gof.ergm()).

A number of Statnet Project packages extend and enhance ergm. These include tergm (Temporal ERGM), which provides extensions for modeling evolution of networks over time; ergm.count, which facilitates exponential family modeling for networks whose dyadic measurements are counts; and ergm.userterms, available on GitHub at https://github.com/statnet/ergm.userterms, which allows users to implement their own ERGM terms.

For detailed information on how to download and install the software, go to the ergm website: https://statnet.org. A tutorial, support newsgroup, references and links to further resources are provided there.

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Author(s)

Maintainer: Pavel N. Krivitsky [e-mail] (ORCID)

Authors:

• Mark S. Handcock [e-mail]

• David R. Hunter [e-mail]

• Carter T. Butts [e-mail]

• Steven M. Goodreau [e-mail]

• Martina Morris [e-mail]

Other contributors:

• Li Wang [e-mail] [contributor]

• Kirk Li [e-mail] [contributor]

• Skye Bender-deMoll [e-mail] [contributor]

• Chad Klumb [e-mail] [contributor]

• Michał Bojanowski [e-mail] (ORCID) [contributor]

• Ben Bolker [e-mail] [contributor]

• Christian Schmid [e-mail] [contributor]

• Joyce Cheng [e-mail] [contributor]

• Arya Karami [e-mail] [contributor]

• Adrien Le Guillou [e-mail] (ORCID) [contributor]

References

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See Also

ergmTerm, ergmConstraint, ergmReference, ergmHint, and ergmProposal for indices of model specification and estimation components visible to the ergm's API at any given time.

ergm documentation built on Dec. 22, 2025, 5:10 p.m.