title: How can statistical mechanics contribute to social science?
abstract: A model of interdependent decision making has been developed to understand group differences in socioeconomic behavior such as nonmarital fertility, school attendance, and drug use. The statistical mechanical structure of the model illustrates how the physical sciences contain useful tools for the study of socioeconomic phenomena.
authors.affiliation: Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin, 1180 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706-1393, USA. sdurlauf@ssc.wisc.edu
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Durlauf
mesh_terms: D001519:Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical; D012942:Social Sciences; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors