Mathematics is increasingly being used in social sciences like sociology. Agent-based modeling and social network analysis are used to simulate human interactions and behaviors. Game theory analyzes strategic decision making and can model cooperation versus competition. Other areas where math is applied include complex systems, computational sociology, and multi-agent systems.
Mathematics is increasingly being used in social sciences like sociology. Agent-based modeling and social network analysis are used to simulate human interactions and behaviors. Game theory analyzes strategic decision making and can model cooperation versus competition. Other areas where math is applied include complex systems, computational sociology, and multi-agent systems.
Mathematics is increasingly being used in social sciences like sociology. Agent-based modeling and social network analysis are used to simulate human interactions and behaviors. Game theory analyzes strategic decision making and can model cooperation versus competition. Other areas where math is applied include complex systems, computational sociology, and multi-agent systems.
Sociology: - Social science that explores and study human society - Makes use o empirical in!estigation "also kno#n as positi!ism$ #hich is a philosophy which accepts only things that can be seen or proved) and critical analysis (examination of society and culture) so as to develop theories about human social activity. - Focuses includes social stratification, religion, secularization, modernity, culture and deviance. - Approaches include qualitative and quantitative research techniques. - ew mathematical and computation techniques li!e agent based modelling and social network analysis has been used in recent decades Agent based modelling: - a model simulating actions and interactions %et#een autonomous agents to ind out the eect on the system& - So as to predict complex phenomena %y using simple rule to generate complex %eha!iour& - Make use o game theory$ complex systems$ computational sociology$ multi-agent systems$ and evolutionary programming& Game theory: - 'pplied mathematics used in social science especially in economics$ %iology$ engineering$ political science$ international relation$ computer science and philosophy& - The main purpose it to mathematically capture %eha!iour in strategic situations$ #here an indi!idual(s choice is inluenced %y others choices& - Type o games) 1* +ooperati!e or non-cooperati!e) ' game is cooperati!e i players are re,uired to ollo# their promises& -n non-cooperati!e games$ players make independent decisions& They may cooperate ne!ertheless$ %ut any cooperation is enorced %y the players themsel!es& .* Symmetrical and asymmetric) ' symmetric game is #here the %eneit rom a certain strategy depends on only the strategy employed and not the players themsel!es& - identities o players can %e changed #ithout changing the payo$ the game is symmetrical& /ne example is the chicken game$ #here each player reuses to gi!e in$ #hich #ill result in the #orst possi%le result& T#o cars in a collision course epitomi0e this game& - %oth cars reuse to gi!e in$ %oth car #ill crash& 1o#e!er$ i one car s#er!es$ nothing #ill happen& The chicken game is also used to descri%e the M'D "mutually assured destruction* o nuclear #arare& ' asymmetric game is #here players ha!e dierent sets o strategy& 'n example is the ultimatum game$ #here %y players decide ho# to di!ide a sum o money& /ne player can propose ho# to di!ide the sum o money #hile the other can accept or re2ect this proposal& - he accepts $ the money is split %ut i he re2ect$ %oth player recei!e nothing& Since this game is played only once$ either player can %e the one to choose to di!ide the sum o money& 3* Zero-sum and non-0ero-sum) -n 0ero sum games$ the players can not alter the ,uantity o resources& 'll the %eneit add up to 0ero& ' player %eneits the same amount another player loses& -n non-0ero-sum-game the net resources can %e greater or lesser than 0ero& Complex systems: - represent organised %ut unpredicta%le %eha!iour o systems o nature that are complex& - -t is used to model processes in %iology$ physics and economics - 'll complex system ha!e interconnected components$ making net#ork theory pertinent to the study o complex system& Computational sociology: - +omputer simulations$ artiicial intelligence$ complex statistical methods as #ell as social net#ork analysis are used to analyse social phenomena& - +omputation sociology is also related to the study o social complexity& +omplex systems$ non-linear interconnection %et#een macro and micro processes and emergence ha!e %ecome part o the concept o computational sociology& - The construction o an artiicial society exempliies such a model$ #here a social system can %e analysed& Multi-agents system: - ' multi-agent system "M'S* composes o multiple interacting intelligent agents and it is used to sol!e pro%lems that cannot %e sol!ed %y indi!idual agent& - Such pro%lems include online trading$ disaster response$ and modelling social structures& - The agents are autonomous$ ha!e local !ie#s and there is no control agent& evolutionary programming - -t is used to stimulate e!olution so as to create artiical intelligence& - 3!olutionary programme has no ixed structure& 1o#e!er$ it is the numerical parameters that change$ not the program structure& social network analysis: - Social net#ork analysis is the mapping o relationships %et#een !arious groups o people or organisation& The nodes in the net#ork represent the indi!idual #hile links sho# relationship %et#een them& - Social net#ork acti!ity is measured using the num%er o direct connections an indi!idual has& - The net#ork paths are not all e,ual& The shorter paths are more important&