Processes In Social Sciences Research Articles

A synthesis of evolutionary and behavioural economics

The article presents the current state of evolutionary economics against the backdrop of changes related to the potential use of the achievements of other social sciences, in particular psychology, as well as dynamically developing neuroscience. The article suggests a synthesis of evolutionary and behavioural economics concepts as a logical consequence of evolutionary cooperation processes in social sciences. Interdisciplinary initiatives create new perspectives on generation synergy effects for all participants. Contemporary evolutionary economists present the nature of ongoing innovation-driven economic change as a long evolutionary process. The main creator of the econosphere as a global system is a man–entrepreneur who is also the result of evolutionary processes. For this reason evolutionary economics should take into account the results of behavioural economics’ research based on modern psychology and neuroscience. The cornerstone of evolutionary and behavioural economics synthesis are the theories of Adam Smith which should be regarded as his holistic intellectual heritage.

Dynamical System Modeling of Self-Regulated Systems Undergoing Multiple Excitations: First Order Differential Equation Approach

This article proposes a dynamical system modeling approach for the analysis of longitudinal data of self-regulated homeostatic systems experiencing multiple excitations. It focuses on the evolution of a signal (e.g., heart rate) before, during, and after excitations taking the system out of its equilibrium (e.g., physical effort during cardiac stress testing). Such approach can be applied to a broad range of outcomes such as physiological processes in medicine and psychosocial processes in social sciences, and it allows to extract simple characteristics of the signal studied. The model is based on a first order linear differential equation with constant coefficients defined by three main parameters corresponding to the initial equilibrium value, the dynamic characteristic time, and the reaction to the excitation. Assuming the presence of interindividual variability (random effects) on these three parameters, we propose a two-step procedure to estimate them. We then compare the results of this analysis to several other estimation procedures in a simulation study that clarifies under which conditions parameters are accurately estimated. Finally, applications of this model are illustrated using cardiology data recorded during effort tests.

Communication in international collaborative research teams. A review of the state of the art and open research questions

In Communication Science, international scholarly communication and collaboration practice still remain unknown territory. Therefore, a systematic review of the state of the art on scholarly communication practice in international research collaborations (IRCs) was carried out that included a broad spectrum of disciplines and research fields such as Communication Science, Business and Management Studies, Sociology, science studies, and the science of team science. A sample of 168 contributions focusing on IRCs were identified. The paper outlines focus and methodological designs of those contributions, provides insights into the composition of the observed IRCs, summarizes the perspectives of the disciplines and research fields, presents the insights into communication structures and processes in IRCs, and discusses the aspect of team diversity, which some studies indicate as relevant for communication practice in IRCs. Overall, research largely focuses on the structural dimension of communication, while empirical analyses on the actual communication processes among scientists in IRCs are still rare. Secondly, research is missing on how team complexity is dealt with in IRCs and what impact it has on collaboration processes and success. A third and fourth research gap are identified regarding the use of a joint collaboration language and the communication processes in Social Sciences and Humanities. Future research should broaden its analytical focus to fill those gaps. This would provide important insights from an epistemological and a practical perspective, by offering the foundation for the development of guidelines and toolkits for future IRCs, thus contributing to the success of such forms of research and knowledge creation.

Focusing the Camera Lens on the Nature of Science: Evidence for the Effectiveness of Documentary Film as a Broader Impacts Strategy

Scientists' involvement in education has increased in recent years due to mechanisms such as the National Science Foundation's “broader impacts” expectations for research projects. The best investment of their effort lies in sharing their expertise on the nature and processes of science; film is one medium by which this can be done efficiently. In this article, we illustrate this approach through the development of Upward and Outward: Scientific Inquiry on the Tibetan Plateau, a 20 min educational documentary film for school science classrooms and teacher professional development. The film portrays the intellectual and human processes of science as seen through the work of an international team of scientists on an interdisciplinary geoscience research project. Evidence gathered from pre/post classroom assessment responses by 350 students in grades 6–14 indicates that students absorb a variety of messages about the intellectual and social processes of science. These ideas contrast with their prior knowledge, counter common stereotypes of science and scientists, and broaden students' notions of the scientific method. The film aligns with national and state standards on scientific inquiry and the nature of science.

The Emergence of Temporal Structures in Dynamical Systems

Dynamical systems in classical, relativistic and quantum physics are ruled by laws with time reversibility. Complex dynamical systems with time-irreversibility are known from thermodynamics, biological evolution, growth of organisms, brain research, aging of people, and historical processes in social sciences. Complex systems are systems that compromise many interacting parts with the ability to generate a new quality of macroscopic collective behavior the manifestations of which are the spontaneous emergence of distinctive temporal, spatial or functional structures. But, emergence is no mystery. In a general meaning, the emergence of macroscopic features results from the nonlinear interactions of the elements in a complex system. Mathematically, the emergence of irreversible structures is modelled by phase transitions in non-equilibrium dynamics of complex systems. These methods have been modified even for chemical, biological, economic and societal applications (e.g., econophysics). Emergence of irreversible structures can also be simulated by computational systems. The question arises how the emergence of irreversible structures is compatible with the reversibility of fundamental physical laws. It is argued that, according to quantum cosmology, cosmic evolution leads from symmetry to complexity of irreversible structures by symmetry breaking and phase transitions. Thus, arrows of time and aging processes are not only subjective experiences or even contradictions to natural laws, but they can be explained by quantum cosmology and the nonlinear dynamics of complex systems. Human experiences and religious concepts of arrows of time are considered in a modern scientific framework. Platonic ideas of eternity are at least understandable with respect to mathematical invariance and symmetry of physical laws. Heraclit’s world of change and dynamics can be mapped onto our daily real-life experiences of arrows of time.

How Are Scientists Portrayed in Children’s Science Biographies?

The goal of this study is to analyze the images of science and scientists in science biographies written for children. We examined 12 biographies of historic and contemporary scientists written for primary/middle school children in relation to three dimensions: characteristics of scientists, nature and process of scientific knowledge, and social processes of science. Biographies of historic scientists were characterized by a relative absence of description of how scientists arrived at their knowledge especially in books addressing younger readers. Biographies of contemporary scientists showed richer descriptions of experimental science with limited attention to connections between evidence and theory. Findings reinforce the need for teachers to guide students in their critical reading of biographies and provide additional resources to help them construct a richer understanding of the nature of science

Testing structural-equivalence hypotheses in a network of geographical journals

Most clustering representations of journal-to-journal networks are static and pay little attention to the intellectual state of a discipline(s). The status-role hypothesis is no exception, notwithstanding its substantive grounding and confirmation for both psychological- and sociological-journal networks at distinct time points. A critical test of this hypothesis is provided in a pair of geographical-journal networks for 1970-1972 and for 1980-1982. The latter was generated after a period of great change and intellectual ferment. As expected, the status-role hypothesis was confirmed for 1970-1972 but not for 1980-1982. This result indicates the need to consider wider disciplinary conditions when interpreting clustering representation of journal networks. It also implies a need to consider the time scale of the social processes of science. A related hypothesis of a centerperiphery structure for journal networks was confirmed for both periods,