Centrality Indices

Centrality indices are to quantify an intuitive feeling that in most networks some vertices or edges are more central than others. Many vertex centrality indices were introduced for the first time in the 1950s: e.g., the Bavelas index [50, 51], degree centrality [483] or a first feedback centrality, introduced by Seeley [510]. These early centralities raised a rush of research in which manifold applications were found. However, not every centrality index was suitable to every application, so with time, dozens of new centrality indices were published. This chapter will present some of the more influential, ‘classic’ centrality indices. We do not strive for completeness, but hope to give a catalog of basic centrality indices with some of their main applications.

Authors and Affiliations

1. IPK Gatersleben, Corrensstraße 3, 06466, Gatersleben, Germany

   Dirk Koschützki

2. Wilhelm-Schickard-Institut für Informatik, Universität Tübingen, Sand 14, C108, 72076, Tübingen, Germany

   Katharina Anna Lehmann

3. Theoretical Computer Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland

   Leon Peeters

4. Theoretical Computer Science, RWTH Aachen, Ahornstraße 55, 52056, Aachen, Germany

   Stefan Richter

5. Department of Mathematics, Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, 67653, Kaiserslautern, Germany

   Dagmar Tenfelde-Podehl

6. Algorithms and Data Structures, Univeristät Trier, 54296, Trier, Germany

   Oliver Zlotowski

Editors and Affiliations

1. Department of Computer & Information Science, University of Konstanz,  

   Ulrik Brandes

2. Department of Computer Science, University of Leicester, University Road, LE1 7RH, Leicester, UK

   Thomas Erlebach

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