3,708 research outputs found
Eternal Sunshine of the Solar Panel
The social dynamics of residential solar panel use within a theoretical
population are studied using a compartmental model. In this study we consider
three solar power options commonly available to consumers: the community block,
leasing, and buying. In particular we are interested in studying how social
influence affects the dynamics within these compartments. As a result of this
research a threshold value is determined, beyond which solar panels persist in
the population. In addition, as is standard in this type of study, we perform
equilibrium analysis, as well as uncertainty and sensitivity analyses on the
threshold value. We also perform uncertainty analysis on the population levels
of each compartment. The analysis shows that social influence plays an
important role in the adoption of residential solar panels
Evolutionary Psychology’s next challenge: Solving modern problems using a mismatch perspective
As acceptance of evolutionary perspectives in mainstream psychology grows, it becomes increasingly pertinent to ask what evolutionary psychology can do to solve real-world problems and better our lives. Answers to this important question will more than likely require an understanding and application of the evolutionary mismatch framework. This powerful framework suggests that many of our contemporary problems—ranging from diabetes and depression to low fertility and sustainability—stem from a mismatch between our evolved psychological mechanisms, which are designed to be adaptive in ancestral contexts, and modern environments, which present novel stimuli that these mechanisms are not well suited to handle. By providing a better understanding of the functions of our evolved mechanisms and how they are incompatible with modern environments, the mismatch perspective can help with the generation of more enlightened and effective strategies to tackle modern problems than would otherwise be the case. We describe this perspective and discuss its potential efficacy and promise. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved) Public Significance Statement—This article describes evolutionary mismatch – a process that likely underlies many of the problems that humans face in the modern world. As discussed, human minds are not designed for and thus, not well-suited to handle, modern environments. Accordingly, solving the various problems of the modern world will require researchers and policymakers to understand mismatch and how to work around it
A generalized vector-field framework for mobility
Trip flow between areas is a fundamental metric for human mobility research.
Given its identification with travel demand and its relevance for
transportation and urban planning, many models have been developed for its
estimation. These models focus on flow intensity, disregarding the information
provided by the local mobility orientation. A field-theoretic approach can
overcome this issue and handling both intensity and direction at once. Here we
propose a general vector-field representation starting from individuals'
trajectories valid for any type of mobility. By introducing four models of
spatial exploration, we show how individuals' elections determine the
mesoscopic properties of the mobility field. Distance optimization in long
displacements and random-like local exploration are necessary to reproduce
empirical field features observed in Chinese logistic data and in New York City
Foursquare check-ins. Our framework is an essential tool to capture hidden
symmetries in mesoscopic urban mobility, it establishes a benchmark to test the
validity of mobility models and opens the doors to the use of field theory in a
wide spectrum of applications.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, Appendice
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