Sociology 242G Schedule

Chaos, Complexity and Order: Formal Models of Social Dynamics

This page contains materials supporting sociology 242G. During the terms when this course is being taught, it will also have a home page on the U.C.R. campus web-server, which gives access to email and web-board utilities. This course is developed by Robert Hanneman of the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Riverside. Feel free to use and redistribute any materials posted here (with citation, please). Your comments and suggestions are much appreciated.
Contents of this page:

Week 1 Introduction: Formal dynamic models and simulation in sociology
Week 2 Problems: Order and change, macro and micro, constraint and agency
Week 3 Agent-based modeling: Space and social networks
Week 4 Agent-based modeling: Exchange games and rational choice
Week 5 Agent-based modeling: Learning, self-organization, complexity
Week 6 Systems-based modeling: Systems, systems dynamics, and chaos
Week 7 Systems-based modeling: Simple chains, feedback, and control
Week 8 Systems-based modeling: Multi-state systems
Week 9 Systems-based modeling: Coupling and interaction
Week 10 Student paper presentations

References for readings

Week 1: Introduction: Formal dynamic models and simulation in sociology

topics:
Model building and theory construction; the logic of simulation modeling - modeling and the theory construction process; simulations as a third way between statistics and mathematics.

readings:
Hanneman, Robert A. 1995. Hanneman, Robert A. 1995. "Simulation Modeling and Theoretical Analysis in Sociology."
Bainbridge, 1987.

activities:
The logic of simulation experiments: An exercise with Bainbridge's Sociology Laboratory. The "status" simulation and the "suicide" simulation.

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Week 2: Problems: Order and change, macro and micro, constraint and agency

topics:
Problems: Order and change emergence versus selection, macro and micro, constraint and agency. Approaches: Interaction versus system.

readings:
Eve, Raymond A., Sara Horsfall, and Mary E. Lee. 1997. Chaos, Complexity, and Sociology. Chapter 5 (Thomas Smith), Afterword (Raymond Eve).
Hanneman, Robert A., Randall Collins, and Gabriele Mordt. 1995. "Discovering Theory Dynamics by Computer Simulation: Experiments on State Legitimacy and Imperialist Capitalism."
Kauffman, Stuart. 1995. At Home in the Universe. Chapter 1
Hannon and Ruth. 1997. Modeling Dynamic Biological Systems. Chapter 4.

activities: Hannon and Ruth's model 4_1 of chaotic population dynamics.

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Week 3: Agent-based modeling: Space and social networks

topics:
Diffusion models+social networks = network diffusion models; embedding of interaction in networks; models of network dynamics.

readings:
Gaylord, Richard J. and Louis J. D'Andria. 1998. Simulating Society (chapters 1, 2, 5, 6)
Macy, Michael W. and John Skvoretz. 1998. "The Evolution of Trust and Cooperation Between Strangers: A Computational Model."
DiMaggio, Paul and Hugh Louch. 1998. "Socially Embedded Consumer Transactions"
Epstein, Joshua M. and Robert Axtell. 1996. Growing Artificial Societies

activities:
Bainbridge's "Race," "Invent," "Morals," and "Revolt" simulations.
You are invited to experiment with Mathematica simulations from Gaylord and D'Andria

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Week 4: Agent-based modeling: Exchange games and rational choice

topics:
rational choice, the prisoner's dilemma, cooperation and normative emergence.

readings:
Gaylord, Richard J. and Louis J. D'Andria. 1998. Simulating Society(chapters 3, 4, 5);
Axelrod, Robert. 1997. The Complexity of Cooperation
Lichbach, Mark Irving. 1996. The Cooperator's Dilemma

activities:
Bainbridge's "Phobos," and "Deimos" simulations.

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Week 5: Agent-based modeling: Learning, self-organization, complexity

topics:
agent learning and system evolution

readings:
Bainbridge, William Sims. 1995. "Neural Network Models of Religious Belief."
Ladd, Scott Robert. 1996. Genetic Algorithms in C++
Holland, John H. 1992. "Genetic Algorithms"
Rao and Rao 1995. C++ Neural Networks and Fuzzy Logic. Chapter 1.


activities:
Bainbridge's "Mars," and "Evolve" simulations. Prisoner's Dilemma and Traveling Salesman genetic algorithm simulations.

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Week 6: Systems-based modeling: Systems and systems dynamics

topics:
General systems theory versus concrete systems models. The system's dynamics approach, the club of Rome and all of that.

readings:
Hanneman, Robert. 1988. Computer-assisted Theory Building. Part I: chapters 1-5. Particularly chapters 1-3.
Hannon and Matthias. 1997. Modeling Dynamic Biological Systems. Chapter 1.
some exemplars:
Doreian, Patrick and Thomas Fararo. 1998. The Problem of Solidarity: Theories and Models (papers by Weidlich and Helbing, Collins and Hanneman)
Leik, Robert K. and Barbara Meeker. 1995. "Computer Simulation for Exploring Theories: Models of Interpersonal Cooperation and Competition,
Patrick, Steven. 1995. "The Dynamic Simulation of Control and Compliance Processes in Material Organizations."

activities:
The Stella simulation environment, dynamo, madonna

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Week 7: Systems-based modeling: Simple chains, feedback, and control

topics: Single equation systems, chains and delays


readings:
Hanneman, Robert A. 1988. Computer-assisted Theory Building


activities:

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Week 8: Systems-based modeling: Multi-state systems

topics:
More complex systems: "subsystems" and multiple agents


readings:
Hannon, Bruce and Matthias Ruth. 1997. Modeling Dynamic Biological Systems

activities:

view lecture outline
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Week 9: Systems-based modeling: Coupling and interaction

topics:


readings:
Ruth, Matthias and Bruce Hannon. 1997. Modeling Dynamic Economic Systems


activities:

view lecture outline
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Week 10: Student paper presentations

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References

Axelrod, Robert. 1997. The Complexity of Cooperation: Agent-based Models of Competition and Collaboration. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Bainbridge, William Sims. 1987. Sociology Laboratory: Computer Simulations for Learning Sociology. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Bainbridge, William Sims. 1995. "Neural Network Models of Religious Belief." Sociological Perspectives, 38,4: 483-496.

Carley, Kathleen. 1995. "Communication Technologies and Their Effect on Cultural Homogenity, Consensus, and the Diffusion of New Ideas." Sociological Perspectives, 63,4: 547-572.

DiMaggio, Paul and Hugh Louch. 1998. "Socially Embedded Consumer Transactions" American Sociological Review, 63,5: 619-637.

Doreian, Patrick and Thomas Fararo. 1998. The Problem of Solidarity: Theories and Models. Amsterdam: Gordon and Breach.

Epstein, Joshua M. and Robert Axtell. 1996. Growing Artificial Societies: Social Science from the Bottom Up. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.

Eve, Raymond A., Sara Horsfall, and Mary E. Lee. 1997. Chaos, Complexity, and Sociology: Myths, Models, and Theories. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Gaylord, Richard J. and Louis J. D'Andria. 1998. Simulating Society: A Mathematica Toolkit for Modeling Socioeconomic Behavior. New York: Springer.

Hanneman, Robert A. 1988. Computer-assisted Theory Building: Modeling Dynamic Social Systems. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

Hanneman, Robert A. 1995. "Simulation Modeling and Theoretical Analysis in Sociology." Sociological Perspectives, 38,4: 457-462.

Hanneman, Robert A., Randall Collins, and Gabriele Mordt. 1995. "Discovering Theory Dynamics by Computer Simulation: Experiments on State Legitimacy and Imperialist Capitalism." Sociological Methodology, 25: 1-46.

Hannon, Bruce and Matthias Ruth. 1997. Modeling Dynamic Biological Systems. NY: Springer.

Holland, John H. 1992. "Genetic Algorithms." Scientific American (July) 66-72.

Kauffman, Stuart. 1995. At Home in the Universe: The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity. New York: Oxford University Press.

Ladd, Scott Robert. 1996. Genetic Algorithms in C++. NY: M&T Books.

Leik, Robert K. and Barbara Meeker. 1995. "Computer Simulation for Exploring Theories: Models of Interpersonal Cooperation and Competition," Sociological Perspectives, 38,4: 463-482.

Lichbach, Mark Irving. 1996. The Cooperator's Dilemma. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Macy, Michael W. and John Skvoretz. 1998. "The Evolution of Trust and Cooperation Between Strangers: A Computational Model." American Sociological Review, 63,5: 638-660.

Patrick, Steven. 1995. "The Dynamic Simulation of Control and Compliance Processes in Material Organizations." Sociological Perspectives, 63,4: 497-518.

Rao, Valluru B. and Hayagriva V. Rao. 1995. C++ Neural Networks and Fuzzy Logic. New York: MIS Press.

Ruth, Matthias and Bruce Hannon. 1997. Modeling Dynamic Economic Systems. NY: Springer.
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