Paradoxical Effects of Social Behavior

Paradoxical Effects of Social Behavior PDF Author: A. Diekmann
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642958745
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 347

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Book Description
In the history of science "paradoxes" are not only amusing puzzles and chal lenges to the human mind but also driving forces of scientific development. The notion of "paradox" is intimately related to the notion of "contradiction". Logi cal paradoxes allow for the derivation of contradictory propositions (e.g. "Rus sell's set of all sets not being members of themselves" or the ancient problem with propositions like "I am lying" 1), normative paradoxes deal with contradic tions among equally well accepted normative postulates (Arrow's "impossibility theorem", Sen's "Impossibility of a Paretian Liberal") and "factual" paradoxes refer to conflicts between conventional opinion based on an accepted empirical theory and contradictory empirical evidence (e.g. the "St. Petersburg paradox" or the "Allais paradox" in decision theory2). Paradoxes, either logical, normative or factual, also contradict our intui tions. The counter-intuitive property which seems to be a common feature of all paradoxes plays an important part in the empirical social sciences, particularly in the old research tradition of scrutinizing the unintended consequences of pur posive actions. Expectations based on naive theories ignoring interdependencies between individual actions are very often in conflict with "surprising" empirical evidence on collective results of social behavior. Examples are numerous reach ing from panic situations, the individual struggle for status gains resulting in collective deprivation, the less than optimal supply of collective goods etc. to global problems of the armament race and mismanagement of common resources.

Paradoxical Effects of Social Behavior

Paradoxical Effects of Social Behavior PDF Author: A. Diekmann
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642958745
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 347

Get Book Here

Book Description
In the history of science "paradoxes" are not only amusing puzzles and chal lenges to the human mind but also driving forces of scientific development. The notion of "paradox" is intimately related to the notion of "contradiction". Logi cal paradoxes allow for the derivation of contradictory propositions (e.g. "Rus sell's set of all sets not being members of themselves" or the ancient problem with propositions like "I am lying" 1), normative paradoxes deal with contradic tions among equally well accepted normative postulates (Arrow's "impossibility theorem", Sen's "Impossibility of a Paretian Liberal") and "factual" paradoxes refer to conflicts between conventional opinion based on an accepted empirical theory and contradictory empirical evidence (e.g. the "St. Petersburg paradox" or the "Allais paradox" in decision theory2). Paradoxes, either logical, normative or factual, also contradict our intui tions. The counter-intuitive property which seems to be a common feature of all paradoxes plays an important part in the empirical social sciences, particularly in the old research tradition of scrutinizing the unintended consequences of pur posive actions. Expectations based on naive theories ignoring interdependencies between individual actions are very often in conflict with "surprising" empirical evidence on collective results of social behavior. Examples are numerous reach ing from panic situations, the individual struggle for status gains resulting in collective deprivation, the less than optimal supply of collective goods etc. to global problems of the armament race and mismanagement of common resources.

Paradox and Society

Paradox and Society PDF Author: Louis Schneider
Publisher: Transaction Publishers
ISBN: 9781412830454
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 624

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Book Description
The writings of Bernard Mandeville mark an important transition between enlightenment, social philosophy, and modern science. Born in Holland in 1670 and educated as a physician, Mandeville spent the greater part of his working life in England, where he died in 1733. In some respects, Mandeville can be compared to Voltaire--Mandeville's junior by twenty-four years. Mandeville had the knack of making controversies volcanic and of arousing heated debate about any topic on which he chose to comment--and he chose to comment on virtually everything. He was especially1 interested in social evolution, morality and society, prostitution and romantic love, crime and its deterrence, and in social aspects of religion. His views on these and countless other topics cohere in his continual fascination with the consequences of social and economic actions that run counter to anticipations and intentions and in the paradoxical or ironic cast that such outcomes often have. In "Paradox and Society, "Louis Schneider is the first to offer a full consideration of Mandeville as a sociologist. Schneider offers an intellectual and characterological portrait of Mandeville, examining his writings and reactions to him over time. Schneider goes on to review Mandeville's theory of human nature, and explores his hotly contested notion of the paradox of private vices and public benefits--that the arousal of desires is a necessary precondition for the stimulation of social and economic development. Social action outside the marketplace, and Mandeville's problematic theory of social evolution, are next considered. The volume ends with an examination of paradox, irony, and satire in society. In this detailed analysis of one of the world's most controversial social critics, Schneider shows us that Mandeville offers a vision of human society that is of enduring significance. He challenges the reader to consider how that vision might operate in today's world.

Positive Emotion

Positive Emotion PDF Author: June Gruber
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199926727
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 577

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Book Description
Everyone cares about positive emotion and what makes us happy. But do we really know both sides of the story about our most treasured feelings? This comprehensive volume provides the first account of the light and the dark sides of positive emotion, and how they can help us and sometimes even hurt us.

Handbook of Sociological Theory

Handbook of Sociological Theory PDF Author: Jonathan H. Turner
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0387362746
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 731

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Book Description
This wide-ranging handbook presents in-depth discussions on the array of subspecialties that comprise the field of sociological theory. Prominent theorists working in a variety of traditions discuss methodologies and strategies; the cultural turn in sociological theorizing; interaction processes; theorizing from the systemic and macro level; new directions in evolutionary theorizing; power, conflict, and change; and theorizing from assumptions of rationality.

Affect in Social Thinking and Behavior

Affect in Social Thinking and Behavior PDF Author: Joseph P. Forgas
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 1135845239
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 362

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Book Description
The role of affect in how people think and behave in social situations has been a source of fascination to laymen and philosophers since time immemorial. Surprisingly, most of what we know about the role of feelings in social thinking and behavior has been discovered only during the last two decades. Affect in Social Thinking and Behavior reviews and integrates the most recent research and theories on this exciting topic, and features original contributions reviewing key areas of affect research from leading researchers active in the area. The book covers fundamental issues, such as the nature and relationship between affect and cognition, as well as chapters that deal with the cognitive antecedents of emotion, and the consequences of affect for social cognition and behavior. This volume offers a highly integrated and comprehensive coverage of this field, and is suitable as a core textbook in advanced courses dealing with the role of affect in social cognition and behavior.

Introduction to Social Neuroscience

Introduction to Social Neuroscience PDF Author: Stephanie Cacioppo
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691167273
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 302

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Book Description
"Humans, like many other animals, are highly social species. But what exactly makes us social? How do our biological systems implement social behavior? And, in turn, how do these social processes impact our brain and biology? These are the questions that define the young field of social neuroscience, a field that combines the study of animal models and humans in order to understand the neural, hormonal, cellular, and genomic mechanisms underlying social processes and behaviors such as imitation, loneliness, empathy, and cooperation. Intended for advanced undergraduates and graduate students, this is the first textbook to provide a synthetic approach to social neuroscience. Here, students and scholars are introduced to the field by examining a growing body of evidence that shows that the nervous system cannot be understood without consideration of the social environments in which humans and many animal species live. The first three chapters introduce readers to the neurological basis for social behavior and the concept of the social brain. Chapters four through six discuss how mental states are communicated between people. And chapters seven through nine cover the neural roots of social interactions and group thought patterns. Ultimately, this book demonstrates how the brain mediates social behaviour and provides a foundational textbook for this nascent field"--

Goal Concepts in Personality and Social Psychology

Goal Concepts in Personality and Social Psychology PDF Author: Lawrence A. Pervin
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 1317510224
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 520

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Book Description
Is behavior motivated? And if so, can it be motivated by the anticipation of future events? What role does cognition play in such motivational processes? And, further, what role does motivation play in ongoing cognitive activity? Questions such as these provide the foundation for this book, originally published in 1989. More specifically, the chapters in this book address the question of the utility of goals concepts in studying motivation and social cognition.

Hormones and Social Behavior

Hormones and Social Behavior PDF Author: Donald W. Pfaff
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3540792880
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 204

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Book Description
This book concentrates on two major topics: firstly, the molecular and neural biology of hormone actions relevant to normal social behaviors; and secondly, the clinical treatment of human patients in whom these behaviors have gone wrong.

Social Behavior and Human Psychology

Social Behavior and Human Psychology PDF Author: Prof. Dr. Bilal Semih Bozdemir
Publisher: Prof. Dr. Bilal Semih Bozdemir
ISBN:
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 550

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Book Description
Social Behavior and Human Psychology Introduction: Understanding the Complexities of Human Interaction The Role of Culture in Shaping Social Behavior The Psychology of Conformity and Group Dynamics Nonverbal Communication and Its Importance Attachment Theory and Its Impact on Social Relationships The Influence of Emotions on Social Behavior Cognitive Biases and Their Impact on Social Judgments Prosocial Behavior: Why We Help Others The Psychology of Interpersonal Attraction The Dark Side of Social Behavior: Aggression and Bullying The Impact of Technology on Social Interactions Developing Effective Communication Skills Applying Social Psychology Principles in the Real World Conclusion: Embracing the Richness of Human Social Behavior

Social Institutions

Social Institutions PDF Author: Karl-Dieter Opp
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351328794
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 351

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Book Description
This is the first book to present a synthesis of rational choice theory and sociological perspectives for the analysis of social institutions.The origin of social institutions is an old concern in social theory. Currently it has re-emerged as one of the most intensely debated issues in social science. Among economists and rational choice theorists, there is growing awareness that most, if not all, of the social outcomes that are of interest to explain are at least partly a function of institutional constraints. Yet the role of institutions is negligible both in general equilibrium theory and in most neoclassical economic models. There is a burgeoning substantive interest in institutions ranging from social movements, to formal organizations, to states, and even international regimes.Rational choice theorists have made great strides in elucidating the effects of institutions on a variety of social outcomes, but they have paid insufficient attention to the social dynamics that lead to the emergence of these institutions. Typically, these institutions have been assumed to be a given, rather than considered as outcomes requiring explanation in their own right. Sociological theorists, in contrast, have long appreciated the role of social structural constraints in the determination of outcomes but have neglected the role of individual agents.Michael Hechter is professor emeritus in the department of Sociology at the University of Washington. He is the author of numerous books. He became an Elected Fellow to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2004 and has been featured in Who's Who. He is also currently on editorial boards for a numerous amount of journals.Karl-Dieter Opp is professor of sociology at Univesitat Leipzig. He has been a Fellow of the European Academy of Sociology since 1999 and has been member of the Council and Treasurer since 2000. He is also current on the advisory board for the magazine Mind and Society.Reinhard Wippler is professor of theoretical sociology at the University of Utrecht and scientific director of the Interuniversity Center for Sociological Theory and Methodology.