Information Metrics (iMetrics): A Research Specialty with a Socio-Cognitive Identity?

"Bibliometrics", "scientometrics", "informetrics", and "webometrics" can all be considered as manifestations of a single research area with similar objectives and methods, which we call "information metrics" or iMetrics. This study explores the cognitive and social distinctness of iMetrics with respect to the general information science (IS), focusing on a core of researchers, shared vocabulary and literature/knowledge base. Our analysis investigates the similarities and differences between four document sets. The document sets are drawn from three core journals for iMetrics research (Scientometrics, Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, and Journal of Informetrics). We split JASIST into document sets containing iMetrics and general IS articles. The volume of publications in this representation of the specialty has increased rapidly during the last decade. A core of researchers that predominantly focus on iMetrics topics can thus be identified. This core group has developed a shared vocabulary as exhibited in high similarity of title words and one that shares a knowledge base. The research front of this field moves faster than the research front of information science in general, bringing it closer to Price's dream.Comment: Accepted for publication in Scientometric

Swarm modelling

The reason for choosing swarms as a study case is the fascination of the simplicity of its mechanics and its complexity as a phenomenon. It can be compared in that sense with other models such as Cellular Automata, for example, with which shares some similarities (they are parallel systems, they interact at a local level, etc). This paper describes the swarms understanding them as examples of sensori-motor intelligence. It begins addressing some issues already patent when studying simple turtles, and then it looks at two ways of interaction of the swarm and their implications. It studies the interaction with an environment in relation with learning processes and simple perceptions of forms, and then uses the processes developed in this first cases to look at the possibilities of interaction of the swarm with a human, and its similarities with other systems such as Genetic Algorithms or social systems