Consensus Emerging from the Bottom-up: the Role of Cognitive Variables in Opinion Dynamics

The study of opinions $-$ e.g., their formation and change, and their effects on our society $-$ by means of theoretical and numerical models has been one of the main goals of sociophysics until now, but it is one of the defining topics addressed by social psychology and complexity science. Despite the flourishing of different models and theories, several key questions still remain unanswered. The aim of this paper is to provide a cognitively grounded computational model of opinions in which they are described as mental representations and defined in terms of distinctive mental features. We also define how these representations change dynamically through different processes, describing the interplay between mental and social dynamics of opinions. We present two versions of the model, one with discrete opinions (voter model-like), and one with continuous ones (Deffuant-like). By means of numerical simulations, we compare the behaviour of our cognitive model with the classical sociophysical models, and we identify interesting differences in the dynamics of consensus for each of the models considered.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figure

Analysis of Mental Model of Students Using Isomorphic Problems in Dynamics of Rotational Motion Topic

The analysis of mental models is a part of the identification of students' thoughts on the concept. Mental models analysis is conducted by conditioning the complex problems such as the isomorphic issues. The research objective is to analyze the development of students' mental models on the topic rotational motion dynamics. The study was designed with the mixed method. The design phase of the research was conducted in both quantitative and qualitative approach. The quantitative phase was performed by providing pre-test, learning, and post-test containing isomorphic problems; while qualitative phase was implemented by interview and quiz. The data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results of the study categorizes mental models into three types, i.e. Low Mental Model (LMM), Moderate Mental Model (MMM), and High Mental Model (HMM). Based on the pre-test results, it was proved that all students used Low mental model in resolving the isomorphic problems. Using the Low Mental Model, it was found that students have misconceptions on the moment of force and moment of inertia. Mental models developed gradually from Low mental model to Moderate Mental Model and then reached the High Mental Model Mental. It was observed from the results of pre-test, quizzes, and post-test. The quiz and post-test results showed the students who used Mental Model and High Mental Model

Learning and Production of Movement Sequences: Behavioral, Neurophysiological, and Modeling Perspectives

A growing wave of behavioral studies, using a wide variety of paradigms that were introduced or greatly refined in recent years, has generated a new wealth of parametric observations about serial order behavior. What was a mere trickle of neurophysiological studies has grown to a more steady stream of probes of neural sites and mechanisms underlying sequential behavior. Moreover, simulation models of serial behavior generation have begun to open a channel to link cellular dynamics with cognitive and behavioral dynamics. Here we summarize the major results from prominent sequence learning and performance tasks, namely immediate serial recall, typing, 2XN, discrete sequence production, and serial reaction time. These populate a continuum from higher to lower degrees of internal control of sequential organization. The main movement classes covered are speech and keypressing, both involving small amplitude movements that are very amenable to parametric study. A brief synopsis of classes of serial order models, vis-à-vis the detailing of major effects found in the behavioral data, leads to a focus on competitive queuing (CQ) models. Recently, the many behavioral predictive successes of CQ models have been joined by successful prediction of distinctively patterend electrophysiological recordings in prefrontal cortex, wherein parallel activation dynamics of multiple neural ensembles strikingly matches the parallel dynamics predicted by CQ theory. An extended CQ simulation model-the N-STREAMS neural network model-is then examined to highlight issues in ongoing attemptes to accomodate a broader range of behavioral and neurophysiological data within a CQ-consistent theory. Important contemporary issues such as the nature of working memory representations for sequential behavior, and the development and role of chunks in hierarchial control are prominent throughout.Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency/Office of Naval Research (N00014-95-1-0409); National Institute of Mental Health (R01 DC02852

Synthetic data analysis by way of system dynamics. A corporate case

An organization can be seen as a system that is a collection of subsystems integrated to achieve set of desired goals. Policies within the business organization are decision rules proposed based on strategy developers´ and policy designers´ understanding of the system they are managing. The behavior of the system, governed by existing policy, may not be understood without studying the policies governing that behavior, - policies designed and implemented by such managers and based on their understanding. Systems are often large, multifunctional and complicated. Therefore, the discrepancies in dynamic complexities between a real-world system and the managerial mental models will affect policy development in the social system. In this thesis, the behavior of the system will be studied by considering how two mental models leads to different implementations of policies in the system. A method is developed and illustrated in this thesis to study how mental models shape policies that govern decision-making. Mental models are simplified representations of our complex reality formed after the fact (based on experience). The system behavior (dynamics) is governed by the strategies developed, the policies designed and the decision made ultimately based on the mental models formed.Master's Thesis in System DynamicsGEO-SD35

Self-efficacy, mental models and team adaptation: a first approach on football and futsal refereeing

Objective: Within the football and futsal refereeing context, even though referees work within teams, there is very little research considering the implications of team dynamics. In response, this study starts to address this gap in the literature by investigating the moderating effect of mental models on the relationship between self-efficacy beliefs and perceptions of team adaptation within the exciting context of professional and national football and futsal refereeing. Design: We obtained online questionnaires from 339 active football and futsal referees within the National and Professional league at two distinct points (April and May) within the football season. Results: Self-efficacy beliefs were positively associated with perceptions of team adaptation (only for football referees). Mental models were positively associated with team adaptation. Likewise, the moderation between mental models and self-efficacy beliefs was positively associated with perceptions of team adaptation (only for futsal referees). However, such an effect was only significant at the futsal referees’ level. Conclusion: This study emphasises the importance of mental models for team adaptation and the importance of self-efficacy beliefs in predicting perceptions of team adaptation. We hope that this study represents the first step in a greater appreciation of the salience of team dynamics and their impact on football and futsal referees’ performance and that future research can build upon our work.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A System Dynamics based Perspective to Help to Understand the Managerial Big Picture in Respect of Urban Event Dynamics

AbstractIn the PED-community, a lot of conducted work focuses on a detailed aspect of the big picture in respect of pedestrian dynamics and disaster avoidance. Surprisingly, the field of research does not offer a lot of models including a managerial macro perspective to explain – for example – why there are mass gatherings that result in high density pedestrian conditions. To improve the mental models of researchers, managers and policy makers, this paper tries to tackle this research gap, by using the methodology of System Dynamics to explain with causal loop diagrams occurring dynamics of urban events to avoid critical situations beforehand

Self-efficacy, mental models and team adaptation: A first approach on football and futsal refereeing

Objective Within the football and futsal refereeing context, even though referees work within teams, there is very little research considering the implications of team dynamics. In response, this study starts to address this gap in the literature by investigating the moderating effect of mental models on the relationship between self-efficacy beliefs and perceptions of team adaptation within the exciting context of professional and national football and futsal refereeing. Design We obtained online questionnaires from 339 active football and futsal referees within the National and Professional league at two distinct points (April and May) within the football season. Results Self-efficacy beliefs were positively associated with perceptions of team adaptation (only for football referees). Mental models were positively associated with team adaptation. Likewise, the moderation between mental models and self-efficacy beliefs was positively associated with perceptions of team adaptation. However, such an effect was only significant at the futsal referees’ level. Conclusion This study emphasises the importance of mental models for team adaptation and the importance of self-efficacy beliefs in predicting perceptions of team adaptation. We hope that this study represents the first step in a greater appreciation of the salience of team dynamics and their impact on football and futsal referees’ performance and that future research can build upon our work.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cohesion, team mental models, and collective efficacy: Towards an integrated framework of team dynamics in sport

A nomological network on team dynamics in sports consisting of a multi-framework perspective is introduced and tested. The aim was to explore the interrelationship among cohesion, team mental models (TMM), collective-efficacy (CE), and perceived performance potential (PPP). Three hundred and forty college-aged soccer players representing 17 different teams (8 female and 9 male) participated in the study. They responded to surveys on team cohesion, TMM, CE and PPP. Results are congruent with the theoretical conceptualization of a parsimonious view of team dynamics in sports. Specifically, cohesion was found to be an exogenous variable predicting both TMM and CE beliefs. TMM and CE were correlated and predicted PPP, which in turn accounted for 59% of the variance of objective performance scores as measured by teams’ season record. From a theoretical standpoint, findings resulted in a parsimonious view of team dynamics, which may represent an initial step towards clarifying the epistemological roots and nomological network of various team-level properties. From an applied standpoint, results suggest that team expertise starts with the establishment of team cohesion. Following the establishment of cohesiveness, teammates are able to advance team-related schemas and a collective sense of confidence. Limitations and key directions for future research are outlined

Transforming Business Education: It’s about Time: a Systems Perspective on Incorporating Climate Change, Sustainability, and the Care for Our Common Future

In this paper we define the nature of the climate change problem and we analyze the task of getting human society to act quickly enough and appropriately to solve this global crisis. We show how our current citizen mental models keep us locked into fossil fuels and prevent us from acting. We demonstrate how simple system dynamics models provide the necessary insight, expand the boundaries of our mental models, and give us the understanding to redesign how our business and governing systems work. We suggest transforming business education using these insights as the key to appropriate climate change action and setting us on the road to a prosperous and sustainable future