Abstract
Quantitative and qualitative directions of an up-scaling of sociological and socionic models are discussed. In sociology, problems of up-scaling result from the fact that explanations of structural dynamics do not work with laws but with mechanisms. In contrast to scientific laws or simple correlations, a mechanism is a step-by-step analytical description of the social dynamics which bring about the respective structural effect. If models are up-scaled, the relations between their various independent and dependent variables become more and more ”fuzzy” and a tension can be identified between ”clean” mechanisms and ”dirty” models. Although sociological and socionic models are always constructed for specific cases, with all implications of ”dirtiness”, it will be argued that ”clean” mechanisms are not only helpful but indispensable: The ”dirtier” the models become with up-scaling, the ”cleaner” must be the mechanisms used in modelling to support scientific generalization.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Hirsch, P., Michaels, S., Friedman, R.: “dirty hands” versus ”clean models”: Is sociology in danger of being seduced by economics? American Sociological Review, pp. 317–336 (1987)
Elster, J.: Nuts and Bolts for the Social Sciences. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1989)
Scharpf, F.W.: Games Real Actors Play. In: Actor-Centered Institutionalism in Policy Research, Westview, Boulder,CO (1997)
Hedström, P., Swedberg, R. (eds.): Social Mechanisms: An Analytical Approach to Social Theory. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1998)
Hedström, P.: Mechanisms, Models, and the Micro-to-Macro Link. Working Papers on Social Mechanisms. Stockholm University, Department of Sociology (1999)
Boudon, R.: Theories of Social Change. A Critical Appraisal. Polity Press, Oxford (1986)
Esser, H.: Soziologie —Spezielle Grundlagen. Band 1: Situationslogik und Handeln, Campus, Frankfurt/M (1999)
Coleman, J.: Introduction to Mathematical Sociology. Free Press, New York (1964)
Esser, H.: Soziologie —Allgemeine Grundlagen. Campus, Frankfurt/M (1993)
Parsons, T.: The Structure of Social Action. Free Press, New York (1949)
Luhmann, N.: Soziale Systeme. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt/M (1984)
Dittrich, P., Kron, T.: Complex Reflexive Agents asModels of Social Actors. In: Proceedings of the SICE Workshop on Artificial Society/Organization/Economy, Tokyo, Japan. Meeting of Systems Engineering, Gkajutsu Sougou Center, vol. 25, pp. 79–88 (2002)
Dittrich, P., Kron, T., Banzhaf, W.: On the Scalability of Social Order.Modelling the Problem of Double and Multi Contigency Following Luhmann. Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation 6 (2003), http://jass.soc.surrey.ac.uk/6/1/3.html
Kron, T., Lasarczyk, C., Schimank, U.: Doppelte Kontingenz und die Bedeutung von Netzwerken für Kommunkationssysteme. Ergebnisse einer Simulationsstudie. Zeitschrift für Soziologie, 374–395 (2003)
Kirsch, W.: Einführung in die Theorie der Entscheidungsprozesse. Gabler, Wiesbaden (1977)
Ashby, W.R.: Einführung in die Kybernetik. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt/M (1956)
Schimank, U.: Theoretische Modelle sozialer Strukturdynamiken: Ein Gefüge von Generalisierungsniveaus. In: Mayntz, R. (ed.) Akteure, Mechanismen und Modelle, pp. 151–178. Campus, Frankfurt/M (2002)
Schimank, U.: Handeln und Strukturen. Leske + Budrich, Opladen (2000)
Lindblom, C.E.: The Intelligence of Democracy. In: Decision Making Through Mutual Adjustment. Free Press, New York (1965)
Luhmann, N.: Warum AGIL? Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, pp. 127–139 (1988)
Simmel, G.: Soziologie. Duncker & Humblot, Berlin (1968)
Scharpf, F.W.: Games Real Actors Could Play: The Problem of Connectedness. Number 90/8 in MPIFG Discussion paper. Max-Planck-Institut für Gesellschaftsforschung, Köln (1990)
Schelling, T.: What is Game Theory? In: Choice and Consequence, pp. 213–242. Harvard University Press, Cambridge (1984)
Schütz, A., Luckmann, T.: Strukturen der Lebenswelt. Band 1, vol. 1, Suhrkamp, Frankfurt/M (1977)
Schimank, U.: Gesellschaftliche Teilsysteme als Akteurfiktionen. Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, 619–639 (1988)
Berger Peter, L., Luckmann, T.: The Social Construction of Reality. Penguin, Harmondsworth (1966)
Esser, H.: Soziologie — Spezielle Grundlagen. Band 5: Institutionen, vol. 5, Campus, Frankfurt/M (2000)
Mayntz, R., Scharpf, F.W.: Der Ansatz des akteurzentrierten Institutionalismus. In: Mayntz, R., Scharpf, F.W. (eds.) Gesellschaftliche Selbstregelung und politische Steuerung, pp. 39–72. Campus, Frankfurt/M (1995)
Powell, W., Maggio, P. (eds.): The New Institutionalism in Organizational Analysis. University of Chicago Press, Chicago (1991)
DiMaggio, P.J., Powell, W.W.: The Iron Cage Revisited. American Sociological Review, 147–160 (1983)
Granovetter, M.: Threshold Models of Collective Behavior. American Journal of Sociology, 1420–1443 (1978)
Elster, J.: The Cement of Society: A Study of Social Order. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1989)
Hedström, P.: Rational Imitation. In: Hedström, P., Swedberg, R. (eds.) Social Mechanisms: An Analytical Approach to Social Theory, pp. 306–327. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1998)
Tsebelis, G.: Nested Games. In: Rational Choice in Comparative Politics, University of California Press, Berkeley (1990)
Wasserman, S., Faust, K.: Social Network Analysis. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1994)
Jansen, D.: Analyse sozialer Netzwerke. Leske + Budrich, Opladen (1999)
Coleman, J.S., Katz, E., Menzel, H.: Medical Innovation. Bobbs-Merrill, Indianapolis (1966)
Snow, D., Zurcher, L., Ekeland-Olsen, S.: Social Networks and Social Movements: A Microstructural Approach to Differential Recruitment. American Sociological Review, 787–801 (1980)
Granovetter, M.: The Strength of Weak Ties. American Journal of Sociology, 1360–1380 (1973)
Weise, P.: Homo oeconomicus und homo sociologicus. Die Schreckensmänner der Sozialwissenschaften. Zeitschrift für Soziologie, 148–161 (1989)
Schimank, U.: Hochschulforschung im Schatten der Lehre. Campus, Frankfurt/M (1995)
Axelrod, R.: The Evolution of Cooperation. Basic Books, New York (1984)
Kehm, B.M.: Universitätskrisen im Spiegel von Hochschulromanen. In: Stölting, E., Schimank, U., eds.: Die Krise der Universität. Westdeutscher Verlag, Wiesbaden, Leviathan Sonderheft 20/2001 (2001)
Cohen, M.D., March, J.G.: Leadership and Ambiguity. In: The American College President. McGraw Hill, New York (1974)
March, J.G., Simon, H.: Organizations. Wiley, New York (1958)
Schelling, T.: Economic Reasoning and the Ethics of Policy. In: Choice and Consequence, pp. 1–26. Harvard University Press, Cambridge (1984)
Axelrod, R.: An Evolutionary Approach to Norms. American Potitical Science Review, 1095–1111 (1986)
Bachmann, R.: Kooperation, Vertrauen und Macht in Systemen Verteilter Künstlicher Intelligenz. In: Malsch, T. (ed.) Sozionik — Soziologische Ansichten über künstliche Sozialität, pp. 197–234. Sigma, Berlin (1998)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2005 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Schimank, U. (2005). From “Clean” Mechanisms to “Dirty” Models: Methodological Perspectives of an Up-Scaling of Actor Constellations. In: Fischer, K., Florian, M., Malsch, T. (eds) Socionics. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 3413. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/11594116_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/11594116_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-30707-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-31613-8
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)