Sociological phenomena as multiple nonlinearities: MTBI's new metaphor for complex human interactions | Zendy

Christopher M. Kribs-Zaleta | Zendy

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Sociological phenomena as multiple nonlinearities: MTBI's new metaphor for complex human interactions

Author(s) -

Christopher M. Kribs-Zaleta

Publication year - 2013

Publication title -

mathematical biosciences and engineering

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 0.451

H-Index - 45

eISSN - 1551-0018

pISSN - 1547-1063

DOI - 10.3934/mbe.2013.10.1587

Subject(s) - metaphor , mathematical model , complex system , dynamical systems theory , cognitive science , epistemology , computer science , sociology , management science , statistical physics , mathematical economics , mathematics , psychology , physics , artificial intelligence , engineering , philosophy , linguistics , statistics , quantum mechanics

Mathematical models are well-established as metaphors for biological and epidemiological systems. The framework of epidemic modeling has also been applied to sociological phenomena driven by peer pressure, notably in two dozen dynamical systems research projects developed through the Mathematical and Theoretical Biology Institute, and popularized by authors such as Gladwell (2000). This article reviews these studies and their common structures, and identifies a new mathematical metaphor which uses multiple nonlinearities to describe the multiple thresholds governing the persistence of hierarchical phenomena, including the situation termed a "backward bifurcation'' in mathematical epidemiology, where established phenomena can persist in circumstances under which the phenomena could not initially emerge.

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