K-clique percolation in free association networks and the possible mechanism behind the [Formula: see text] law

Olga Valba; Alexander Gorsky

doi:10.1038/s41598-022-09499-w

K-clique percolation in free association networks and the possible mechanism behind the [Formula: see text] law

Sci Rep. 2022 Apr 1;12(1):5540. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-09499-w.

Authors

Olga Valba¹, Alexander Gorsky^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Applied Mathematics, MIEM, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, 123458 Russia.
² Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems RAS, Moscow, 127051 Russia.
³ Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141700 Russia.

Abstract

It is important to reveal the mechanisms of propagation in different cognitive networks. In this study, we discuss the k-clique percolation phenomenon as related to the free association networks including the English Small World of Words project (SWOW-EN). We compared different semantic networks and networks of free associations for various languages. Surprisingly, k-clique percolation for all [Formula: see text] 6-7 is possible on free association networks of different languages. Our analysis suggests new universality patterns for a community organization of free association networks. We conjecture that our result can provide a qualitative explanation of Miller's [Formula: see text] rule for the capacity limit of working memory. A new model of network evolution extending the preferential attachment is suggested, providing the observed value of [Formula: see text].

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Free Association*
Memory, Short-Term*