This article seeks to offer a computational model that can parsimoniously account for many features of Collins's theory of conflict escalation.
creator
McClelland, Kent A. (Faculty/Staff)
Title
Cycles of Conflict: A Computational Modeling Alternative to Collins's Theory of Conflict Escalation
Alternative Title
Computational Modeling Alternative to Collins's Theory of Conflict Escalation
supporting host
Grinnell College. Sociology
Index Date
2014
Date (Other)
16-Jun-2014
Publisher
Grinnell College
Genre
Essays
Digital Origin
born digital
Extent
27 pages
Media Type
application/pdf
description
In a new theory of conflict escalation, Randall Collins engages critical issues of violent conflict and presents a compellingly plausible theoretical description based on his extensive empirical research. He also sets a new challenge for sociology: explaining the time dynamics of social interaction. However, despite heavy reliance on the quantitative concept of positive feedback loops in his theory, Collins presents no mathematical specification of the dynamic relationships among his variables. This article seeks to fill that gap by offering a computational model that can parsimoniously account for many features of Collins's theory. My model uses perceptual control theory to create an agent-based computational model of the time dynamics of conflict. With greater conceptual clarity and more wide-ranging generalizability, my alternative model opens the door to further advances in theory development by revealing dynamic aspects of conflict escalation not found in Collins's model.
citation
McClelland, Kent. Cycles of Conflict: A Computational Modeling Alternative to Collins's Theory of Conflict Escalation Sociological Theory June 2014 vol. 32 no. 2 100-127 doi: 10.1177/0735275114536387 ~ citation/reference
Language
English
Topic
Computer simulation
Topic
Multiagent systems
Topic
Perceptual control theory
Topic
Time
Topic
Systems and standards
Classification
HM
Related Item
Faculty Scholarship
Related Item
Scholarship at Grinnell
Related Item
Digital Grinnell
Identifier (hdl)
http://hdl.handle.net/11084/11475
Identifier (local)
grinnell:11475
Access Condition
Copyright to this work is held by the author(s), in accordance with United States copyright law (USC 17). Readers of this work have certain rights as defined by the law, including but not limited to fair use (17 USC 107 et seq.).
