132 research outputs found
Mechanistic explanations and components of social mechanisms
The past two decades have witnessed an increase in interest in social mechanisms and mechanistic explanations of social macro-phenomena. This paper addresses the question of what the components of social mechanisms in mechanistic explanations of social macro-phenomena must be. Analytical sociology’s initial position and the main new proposals by analytical sociologists are discussed. It is argued that all of them are faced with outstanding difficulties. Subsequently, a minimal requirement regarding the components of social mechanisms is introduced. It is held that a component of a social mechanism in a mechanistic explanation of a social macro-phenomenon must not have the explanandum phenomenon as a part of it
Explicaciones basadas en razones y sociología analítica. Una réplica a Boudon
El trabajo discute la teoría de la racionalidad ordinaria de Raymond Boudon, así como su valoración de la denominada «sociología analítica». Respecto a la primera cuestión, el artículo argumenta que, para combinar el realismo de una concepción de la racionalidad sin constreñimientos con el poder predictivo ex-ante facto de la versión estándar de la teoría de la elección racional, debemos comprender mejor la relación entre eventos potencialmente desencadenantes y las «razones» del actor. Heurísticas, identidad social y emociones son vistas como buenas candidatas para avanzar en esa dirección. En lo que se refiere a la segunda cuestión, el artículo recuerda algunos elementos factuales, sugiere que la valoración de Boudon de la sociología analítica es excesivamente severa y explica por qué algunos sociólogos analíticos dedican especial atención a los modelos computacionales.The paper discusses Raymond Boudon's theory of ordinary rationality as well as his assessment of the so-called "analytical sociology". On the first point, the paper argues that, in order to combine the realism of an unconstrained conception of rationality with the ex-ante facto predictive power of the narrow version of rational choice theory, we should better understand the relation between potentially triggering events and the actor's "reasons". Heuristics, social identity, and emotions are regarded as good candidates to advance in that direction. On the second point, the paper recalls some factual elements suggesting that Boudon's assessment of analytical sociology is excessively severe and explains why some analytical sociologists are right in devoting especial attention to computational modelling.El treball discuteix la teoria de la racionalitat ordinària de Raymond Boudon, com també la seva valoració de l'anomenada «sociologia analítica». Respecte de la primera qüestió, l'article argumenta que, per combinar el realisme d'una concepció de la racionalitat sense constrenyiments amb el poder predictiu ex-ante facto de la versió estàndard de la teoria de l'elecció racional, hem d'entendre millor la relació entre esdeveniments potencialment desencadenants i les «raons» de l'actor. Heurístiques, identitat social i emocions es consideren bones candidates per avançar en aquesta direcció. Pel que fa a la segona qüestió, l'article recorda alguns elements factuals, suggereix que la valoració de Boudon de la sociologia analítica és excessivament severa i explica per què alguns sociòlegs analítics dediquen una atenció especial als models computacionals
Context in Mechanism-based Explanation
In this article, we discuss the issue of context-dependence of mechanism-based explanation in the social sciences. The different ways in which the context-dependence and context-independence of mechanism-based explanation have been understood in the social sciences are often motivated by different and apparently incompatible understandings of what explanatory mechanisms are. Instead, we suggest that the different varieties of context-dependence are best seen as corresponding to different research goals. Rather than conflicting with one another, these goals are complementary to each other and therefore pave the way to a methodologically more cooperative approach to mechanism-based explanation in the social sciences.Peer reviewe
Reason-based explanations and analytical sociology
The paper discusses Raymond Boudon’s theory of ordinary rationality as well as his assessment of the so-called “analytical sociology”. On the first point, the paper argues that, in order to combine the realism of an unconstrained conception of rationality with the ex-ante facto predictive power of the narrow version of rational choice theory, we should better understand the relation between potentially triggering events and the actor’s “reasons”. Heuristics, social identity, and emotions are regarded as good candidates to advance in that direction. On the second point, the paper recalls some factual elements suggesting that Boudon’s assessment of analytical sociology is excessively severe and explains why some analytical sociologists are right in devoting especial attention to computational modelling.L’article discute la théorie de la rationalité ordinaire défendue par Raymond Boudon ainsi que son évaluation de la sociologie dite « analytique ». Sur le premier point, l’article suggère que la littérature sur les heuristiques, l’identité sociale et les émotions peut aider à construire une théorie de l’action rationnelle élargie qui ne perde pas le pouvoir prédictif ex-ante facto propre à la théorie restreinte du choix rational. Sur le second point, l’article suggère que Raymond Boudon porte un jugement excessivement sévère sur la sociologie analytique et explique pourquoi certains sociologues analytiques ont des raisons fortes d’attribuer autant d’importance à la simulation informatique à base d’agents
Raymond Boudon : An analytical social theorist
Introduction to the special issue of Raymond Boudon.Introducción al número monográfico sobre Raymond Boudon.Introducció al número monogràfic sobre Raymond Boudon
Contagio social y homofilia en una red romántica : un análisis de simulación
La lógica de lo social avanzó, hace treinta y cinco años, la actual concepción de los sistemas adaptativos complejos, en los que los agentes actúan siguiendo alguna forma de comportamiento racional, interactúan entre ellos y, como resultado de tales interacciones, producen un efecto inintencionado. El objeto de este trabajo es ilustrar la aproximación de Raymond Boudon a través de un modelo de simulación basado en agentes, donde los agentes representan a adolescentes que intentan mantener relaciones románticas buscando a su pareja entre sus lazos de amistad. La elección de pareja se rige por un principio de homofilia que, en el caso de esta sociedad artificial, se asume que opera de una forma muy sencilla: los agentes buscan a alguien que sea similar a ellos en un cierto rasgo sociocultural. Al mismo tiempo, el valor de ese rasgo para cada agente (que, se asume, puede medirse en una escala cuantitativa) se ve influenciado por los valores de otros agentes en su entorno inmediato. Se muestra cómo estos dos procesos sociales son interdependientes, por lo que producen resultados que están causalmente relacionados.La logique du social anticipated, 35 years ago, the current conception of complex adaptive systems, where agents behave following some kind of rational behavior, interact among themselves and, as a result of those interactions, produce an unintended outcome. The aim of this paper is to illustrate Raymond Boudon's approach by means of an agent based simulation model, where agents represent teenagers who attempt to find a romantic relationship looking for a partner within their friendship ties. Partner choice is ruled by a homophilic principle which is, in the case of this artificial society, assumed to operate in a very simple way: agents look for someone who is similar to them in a given socio-cultural trait. At the same time, the value of this trait (which is assumed to be measured on a quantitative scale) for every agent is influenced by the values of other agents in the immediate environment. It is shown how these two social processes are interdependent, thus producing outcomes which are causally related.La lògica del social va avançar, fa trenta-cinc anys, la concepció actual dels sistemes adaptatius complexos, en què els agents actuen seguint alguna forma de comportament racional, interactuen entre ells i, com a resultat d'aquestes interaccions, produeixen un efecte inintencionat. L'objecte d'aquest treball és il·lustrar l'aproximació de Raymond Boudon a través d'un model de simulació basat en agents, on els agents representen adolescents que intenten mantenir relacions romàntiques buscant la seva parella entre els seus llaços d'amistat. L'elecció de parella es regeix per un principi d'homofília que, en el cas d'aquesta societat artificial, s'assumeix que opera d'una forma molt senzilla: els agents busquen algú que sigui similar a ells en un cert tret sociocultural. Alhora, el valor d'aquest tret per a cada agent (que, s'assumeix, pot mesurar-se en una escala quantitativa) es veu influït pels valors d'altres agents en el seu entorn immediat. Es mostra com aquests dos processos socials són interdependents, per la qual cosa produeixen resultats que estan causalment relacionats
Chapter 3 Analytical Sociology amidst a Computational Social Science Revolution
"The Handbook of Computational Social Science is a comprehensive reference source for scholars across multiple disciplines. It outlines key debates in the field, showcasing novel statistical modeling and machine learning methods, and draws from specific case studies to demonstrate the opportunities and challenges in CSS approaches.
The Handbook is divided into two volumes written by outstanding, internationally renowned scholars in the field. This first volume focuses on the scope of computational social science, ethics, and case studies. It covers a range of key issues, including open science, formal modeling, and the social and behavioral sciences. This volume explores major debates, introduces digital trace data, reviews the changing survey landscape, and presents novel examples of computational social science research on sensing social interaction, social robots, bots, sentiment, manipulation, and extremism in social media. The volume not only makes major contributions to the consolidation of this growing research field, but also encourages growth into new directions.
With its broad coverage of perspectives (theoretical, methodological, computational), international scope, and interdisciplinary approach, this important resource is integral reading for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers engaging with computational methods across the social sciences, as well as those within the scientific and engineering sectors.
Socially-embedded investments: Explaining gender differences in job-specific skills
Gender-differences in post-schooling skill investments play a central role in stratification processes. Yet little research has been devoted to explaining how these differences come about. This paperhelps to fill this gap by proposing and testing a job-investment model with social-interaction effects that melds substantive ideas of sociology and economics. Firms use strategic compensation profiles in order to protect their job-specific skill investments and this shifts the weight of the investment decision to the supply side. Employees consider the tenure-reward profiles of different job-specific investment options and chose rationally on the basis of their expected survival probabilities in each of them. Given uncertainty, actors are likely to inform their job-survival expectations by observing their social context. Three different forms of social influence are distinguished: social-learning,social norms and role identification. It is further argued that social influences on job-survival expectations can be identified empirically by blocking individuals\' work and family preferences. Several hypotheses are derived and tested to a subsample of approximately 2,700 young single wage-earners nested in 261 different European regions and 24 different European countries. Results show that young women\'s job-investment decisions are significantly correlated with 1) the social visibility of women in highly specialized jobs in the preceding generation; 2) the proportion of men who do housework in their potential marriage markets, and 3) the existing fertility norms.gender; job-specific investments; social interactions; strategic compensation; social learning; social norms; role identification; prefrences; european social survey
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