Robert K. Merton (1910-2003).

En este artículo, que rinde tributo a uno de los pensadores más importantes de la actividad científica, presentamos los elementos que consideramos indispensables para analizar el conocimiento certificado como concepto central en la relación entre la institución de la ciencia y la sociedad. Pretendemos con ello proponer los elementos para discutir el paradigma mertoniano de la ciencia frente a las inquietudes y visiones suscitadas por la filosofía, la historia y la sociología de la ciencia. En las dos primeras secciones presentamos una descripción sobre la forma institucional concebida por Merton para certificar el conocimiento científico y propiciar su utilidad, entrando en detalle en la concepción que nos brinda sobre los métodos en la ciencia que validan su aceptación. En las dos partes finales abordamos la visión mertoniana de la estructura social de la producción científica y su relación con la política, en la que aparece la cienciometría como disciplina. Concluimos con una discusión sobre las críticas a las tesis de Merton y el aporte a la sociología de la ciencia que ha dejado el autor.This article is a tribute to one of the most important thinkers of scientific activity. In it we present those elements we consider indispensable for the analysis of certified knowledge as the central concept of the relationship between the institution of science and society. We seek to propose elements to discuss the Mertonian paradigm of science in the light of the questions and visions raised by the philosophy, history and sociology of science. In the first two sections we present a description of the institutional form conceived by Merton to certify scientific knowledge and bring about its usefulness, focusing on the details of the framework it provides on the methods of science which validate its acceptance. In the two final sections we approach the Mertonian vision of social structure of scientific production and its relationship to politics, where scientometrics rises as a discipline. We close with a discussion of the criticisms to Merton’s theses and the contribution this author has made to the sociology of science.Neste artigo, que presta tributo a um dos pensadores mais importantes da atividade científica, apresentamos os elementos que consideramos indispensáveis para analisar o conhecimento certificado como conceito central na relação entre a instituição da ciência e a sociedade. Pretendemos com isso propor os elementos para discutir o paradigma mertoniano da ciência frente às inquietudes e visões suscitadas pela filosofia, história e sociologia da ciência. Nas duas primeiras sessões, apresentamos uma descrição sobre a forma institucional concebida por Merton para certificar o conhecimento científico e propiciar sua utilidade, entrando em detalhes na concepção que nos presta sobre os métodos na ciência que validam sua aceitação. Nas duas partes finais abordamos a visão mertoniana da estrutura social da produção científica e sua relação com a política, na qual aparece a cienciometria como disciplina. Concluímos com uma discussão sobre as críticas às teses de Merton e o aporte à sociologia da ciência que deixou o autor

Tracing scientific influence

Scientometrics is the field of quantitative studies of scholarly activity. It has been used for systematic studies of the fundamentals of scholarly practice as well as for evaluation purposes. Although advocated from the very beginning the use of scientometrics as an additional method for science history is still under explored. In this paper we show how a scientometric analysis can be used to shed light on the reception history of certain outstanding scholars. As a case, we look into citation patterns of a specific paper by the American sociologist Robert K. Merton.Comment: 25 pages LaTe

Sociology

Sociology emerged in response to the problem of social order in modern society in the wake of the American and French Revolutions and the rise of industrialism and market capitalism. Sociology had its roots in the theories of August Comte and Herbert Spencer and in empirical work previously conducted by census bureaus, state labor boards, and reform organizations. By the 1880s, sociologists had perceived a threat in the alliance with biology: It undercut the need for a separate discipline and, in Spencer\u27s laissez-faire version, tainted the discipline among social reformers and other constituencies crucial to its success. In Dynamic Sociology, the American Lester Frank Ward addressed both issues. On the surface, American and European sociology during the interwar decades was a study in contrasts. The 1960s spelled the end of \u27modern\u27 sociology. In the United States, Parsons\u27s hegemony and Merton\u27s \u27middle range\u27 compromise gave way to a politically charged humanist/positivist divide

Awareness and stock market participation

The paper documents lack of awareness of financial assets in the 1995 and 1998 Bank of Italy Surveys of Household Income and Wealth. It then explores the determinants of awareness, and finds that the probability that survey respondents are aware of stocks, mutual funds and investment accounts is positively correlated with education, household resources, long-term bank relations and proxies for social interaction. Lack of financial awareness has important implications for understanding the stockholding puzzle and for estimating stock market participation costs. Klassifikation: E2, D8, G

Awareness and Stock Market Participation

The extent to which consumers are aware of available financial assets depends on the incentives of asset suppliers to spread information about the instruments they issue. We propose a theoretical framework in which the amount of information disseminated and the probability of individuals becoming aware of financial assets are correlated with the probability that, once informed, they will invest in the asset and negatively affected by the cost of spreading information. Social learning is a further channel through which potential investors may come to be informed about existing assets. While social learning may limit the production of financial information by assets suppliers, it increases the probability that individuals become financially aware. These predictions are supported by data on awareness of financial assets available in the 1995 and 1998 waves of the Italian Survey of Household Income and Wealth. Lack of financial awareness has important implications for understanding the stockholding puzzle and for estimating stock market participation costs.financial information, portfolio choice

Centennial Bibliography On The History Of American Sociology

THE CENTENNIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY ON THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN SOCIOLOGY is intended as an inclusive clearinghouse for sources, studies, and other references that illuminate the origins and subsequent development of the sociological enterprise in the United States of America.2 As such, this bibliography is necessarily provisional and is envisioned as an on-going project to which further citations may be added as they are discovered and as new works are published. Due to the enormous scope of the project, and the short time frame within which the initial compilation was completed, countless useful and insightful references have been unintentionally omitted. Some portions of the citations are currently more comprehensive than others. Gaps, holes, and inexplicable lapses are the sole responsibility of the compiler, for which he not so much apologetic as he is determined to repair them. The assistance of each reader of this bibliography is earnestly enlisted to supply additional references with which they are familiar. Likewise, the current bibliography undoubtedly contains bibliographic errors due in part to the sheer impracticality of physically checking each and every item referenced herein. Again, the assistance of bibliographically astute readers is heartily enlisted to correct such errors. Readers wishing to report errors or to nominate additional candidates for inclusion in future updates of this bibliography are warmly invited to communicate corrections or recommendations together with brief explanations and complete bibliographic particulars via email to: [email protected]