The Diffusion of Collective Violence Pitcher, Brian L; Hamblin, Robert L; Miller, Jerry L L
American sociological review,
02/1978, Volume:
43, Issue:
6
Journal Article
An attempt to investigate systematically & with macro-sociol'al data the impact of the SE structure of Chile on voting for the radical left in 1952. The empirical operations of the analysis proceed ...through 3 stages. In the 1st a series of indicators of industr development are selected, namely anomie, econ deprivation & Ur'ization. These indicators are then related to the dependent variable by means of partial regression & r'al analysis. Following this a reanalysis of the same data is made (Stage 2) assuming that the relation is not a linear relation, but a power-function, & with this 80% of the variance in Allende vote is explained. In stage 3 a further variable, ie class polarization, was added, & a power-model employed, which provided an explanation for up to 85% of the variance. The 3rd analysis indicates that the conceptual variables employed, class polarization, anomie, econ deprivation & Ur'ization, were signif'ly related to pol'al radicalism & explained over 80% of the variance of the latter using a power model. Modified HA.
Explanations of social conflict typically focus on the various structural dimensions & neglect the underlying dynamic process. Social conflict can be usefully conceptualized as ongoing aversive ...exchanges & this framework underscores the importance of the dynamics of conflict. A dynamic model of the process of collective learning in conflictual exchange relations is developed & evaluated. The model is derived from behavioral generalizations, which indicate that the frequency of successful outcomes in exchange relations provides a measure of the relative learning rates of the parties to the exchange. In tests using several data sets, the model describes the distribution of outcomes quite accurately & the assumptions & implications of the derivation are consistent.
The purpose of this paper is to suggest a serious problem with empirically based theory in sociology (low explained variance, on the average about 10 percent), a probable reason for that problem ...(traditional methodology) and a possible solution (mathematical experimentation and correlation). Data are reviewed from a number of mathematical experiments and correlational studies-of status, group learning, gambling, and voting. All of these involved psychophysical measurements, and/or objective measurements at the ratio level. The resulting theoretical equations explain from 85 to 99 percent of the variance.
