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Analytical sociology and computational social science

Open access
Keuschnigg, Marc, Lovsjö, Niclas, Hedström, Peter·2018·Journal of Computational Social Science
DOI 10.1007/s42001-017-0006-5PMC PMC6936355
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Abstract

Analytical sociology focuses on social interactions among individuals and the hard-to-predict aggregate outcomes they bring about. It seeks to identify generalizable mechanisms giving rise to emergent properties of social systems which, in turn, feed back on individual decision-making. This research program benefits from computational tools such as agent-based simulations, machine learning, and large-scale web experiments, and has considerable overlap with the nascent field of computational social science. By providing relevant analytical tools to rigorously address sociology's core questions, computational social science has the potential to advance sociology in a similar way that the introduction of econometrics advanced economics during the last half century. Computational social scientists from computer science and physics often see as their main task to establish empirical regularities which they view as "social laws." From the perspective of the social sciences, references to social laws appear unfounded and misplaced, however, and in this article we outline how analytical sociology, with its theory-grounded approach to computational social science, can help to move the field forward from mere descriptions and predictions to the explanation of social phenomena.

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Keuschnigg, M., Lovsjö, N., & Hedström, P.
Affiliations
Linköping University (SE)
Corresponding author
Keuschnigg, Marc
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Computational Social Science
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2017-11-21
Volume
1
Issue
1
Pages
3-14
ISSN
  • 2432-2717 (ISSN-L)
  • 2432-2725
DOI
10.1007/s42001-017-0006-5
PMC
PMC6936355
OpenAlex
W2768731445
Cited by
90
References
6
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 3
FWCI
3.75
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Computational Social Science (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Diva portal (Dalarna University Library) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • FP7 Ideas: European Research Council (324233)
  • Riksbankens Jubileumsfond (M12-0301:1)
  • Vetenskapsrådet (445-2013-7681, 340-2013-5460)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Multi-Agent Systems and Negotiation
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy and History of Science
  • Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Simulation Techniques and Applications
Keywords
analytical sociology, computational social science, agent-based modeling, social mechanisms, emergent properties, social law, online experiments, individual decision-making

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