Trends in complexity theories and computation in the social sciences.
A modified bibliometric study and citation analysis of the use of complexity theories, encompassing chaos and complexity theory, and computational simulation in published literature was conducted. Articles published during 1971-1999 in four disciplines were examined: business, education, psychology and sociology. Overall, there was a marked pattern of increased use in the terms within the social sciences. There was a differentiated use of the terms between disciplines. A qualitative study on a subset from each discipline was generated to create a disciplinary profile of the quantitative and qualitative use of the terms in research activities, called a problem topology. Three research implications that arise from the differential adaptation of the theories and methods into the four social sciences are discussed.
Henrickson
Leslie
L
Assistant Professor, Touro University International, 5665 Plaza Dr., Cypress, CA, 90630.
D006801:Humans; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D011643:Publishing / Q000639:trends; D012942:Social Sciences / Q000639:trends*