The professional social networks of physicians are an essential source of health-related user-generated content and online social capital. Yet limited research has examined how social networks of physicians emerge at the level of relationships between physicians. To help fill this gap, this study investigates the formation of followship between physicians (i.e., when one physician follows another) from the perspectives of network structures, actor attributes, and external contextual factors. Using exponential random graph models and strategic network formation models, this study analyzes the effects of reciprocity and transitive closure, physicians’ social media and online healthcare community (OHC) engagement, and physicians’ interaction networks. The results reveal that physicians’ professional social networks have a reciprocated and open structure. Physicians’ social media connectivity and content, online service performance, professional capital, and social identity homophily facilitate the formation of professional social networks. In addition, the interaction networks have an entrainment effect on professional social networks. This study reveals the mechanism of social processes, including reciprocity, preferential attachment, and homophily, in the formation of social networks. The results also extend social cognitive theory and signaling theory into the context of physicians’ professional social networks.

中文翻译：

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通过医生的在线参与形成专业社交网络：来自新浪微博和新浪健康的证据


医生的专业社交网络是与健康相关的用户生成内容和在线社交资本的重要来源。然而，有限的研究考察了医生的社交网络是如何在医生之间的关系层面出现的。为了帮助填补这一空白，本研究从网络结构、参与者属性和外部环境因素的角度调查了医生之间追随关系的形成（即当一名医生跟随另一名医生时）。本研究使用指数随机图模型和战略网络形成模型，分析了互惠性和传递闭合、医生的社交媒体和在线医疗保健社区 （OHC） 参与以及医生的交互网络的影响。结果表明，医生的专业社交网络具有互惠和开放的结构。医生的社交媒体连接和内容、在线服务绩效、专业资本和社会身份同质化促进了专业社交网络的形成。此外，交互网络对专业社交网络具有夹带效应。本研究揭示了社会过程的机制，包括互惠、优先依恋和同质性，在社交网络的形成中。结果还将社会认知理论和信号理论扩展到医生专业社交网络的背景下。