The Method of Response Functions in Psychology & Sociology
W/ CD
Will be published approx. on 31. December 2012
Book
Hardback
268 pages
978-1-84564-686-8 (ISBN)
Description
Social (psychological and sociological) systems present considerable difficulties for modellers due to their complexity, multidimensionality, uncertainty and irreducibility. The book proposes that response functions (MRF) be used as a method of constructing purposeful, credible and integrated social systems' models from data and prior knowledge or information. For case studies the authors have selected the problems usually studied by psychologists and sociologists with statistical procedures, such as investigation of variance and discriminant analysis based on the general linear model or one of its multivariate generalisations (structural equation models, etc.); disordered eating and obesity; subjective well-being and alexithymia. An accompanying CD-ROM contains the demonstration versions of three models that are discussed in the various chapters. The Method of Response Functions in Psychology and Sociology is aimed at Mathematical Psychologists; Mathematical Sociologists; Applied Psychologists; Sociologists and Social Practitioners. It will also be suitable for use on undergraduate as well as graduate and postgraduate courses specializing in these areas.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Southampton
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
553 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84564-686-8 (9781845646868)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Irina G. Malkina-Pykh is Scientific Secretary of the Research Center for Interdisciplinary Environmental Cooperation (INENCO) of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Yuri A. Pykh is Director of the Research Center for Interdisciplinary Environmental Cooperation (INENCO) of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Content
Psychological and sociological systems: The nature of the problem: An overview Introduction; Measurements in psychology and sociology; Mathematical models in psychology: history and overview; Mathematical models in sociology: history and overview; Conclusion; References 2 Fundamentals of the theory of response function method Introduction; The MRF; Data analysis and processing; Identification of model's parameters; Constraints on the values of parameters; Initial values for parameter estimation; Global optimum and a criterion for convergence; Sensitivity analysis; References 3 Method of response functions in psychology: Case study of disordered eating and obesity Introduction: background and approaches to disordered eating behaviours and obesity; Construction of the model; Evaluation of model parameters; Validation of the model Simulation experiments; Study limitations and future research directions; Conclusion; References 4 Method of response functions in sociology: Case study of subjective well-being Introduction: background and approaches to subjective well-being; Construction of the model; Evaluation of model parameters; Validation of the model; Study limitations and future research directions; Conclusions; References 5 Method of response functions in psychosomatics: Case study of alexithymia Introduction: background and approaches to alexithymia phenomenon; Construction of the model; Evaluation of model parameters; Validation of the model; Simulation experiments; Study limitations and future research directions; Conclusion; References