THE PHYSICS OF IDEAS: INFERRING THE MECHANICS OF OPINION FORMATION FROM MACROSCOPIC STATISTICAL PATTERNS

In a microscopic setting, humans behave in rich and unexpected ways. In a macroscopic setting, however, distinctive patterns of group behavior emerge, leading statistical physicists to search for an underlying mechanism. The aim of this dissertation is to analyze the macroscopic patterns of competing ideas in order to discern the mechanics of how group opinions form at the microscopic level. First, we explore the competition of answers in online Q&A (question and answer) boards. We find that a simple individual-level model can capture important features of user behavior, especially as the number of answers to a question grows. Our model further suggests that the wisdom of crowds may be constrained by information overload, in which users are unable to thoroughly evaluate each answer and therefore tend to use heuristics to pick what they believe is the best answer. Next, we explore models of opinion spread among voters to explain observed universal statistical patterns such as rescaled vote distributions and logarithmic vote correlations. We introduce a simple model that can explain both properties, as well as why it takes so long for large groups to reach consensus. An important feature of the model that facilitates agreement with data is that individuals become more stubborn (unwilling to change their opinion) over time. Finally, we explore potential underlying mechanisms for opinion formation in juries, by comparing data to various types of models. We find that different null hypotheses in which jurors do not interact when reaching a decision are in strong disagreement with data compared to a simple interaction model. These findings provide conceptual and mechanistic support for previous work that has found mutual influence can play a large role in group decisions. In addition, by matching our models to data, we are able to infer the time scales over which individuals change their opinions for different jury contexts. We find that these values increase as a function of the trial time, suggesting that jurors and judicial panels exhibit a kind of stubbornness similar to what we include in our model of voting behavior.

100 + ideas for teaching history. '100 ideas más para enseñar historia'.

Ofrece un gran número de ideas prácticas para ser utilizadas por los profesores de historia de varios niveles educativos, desde los primeros años de primaria hasta la secundaria, es decir, desde la etapa 1 hasta la 3 (key stage 1-3). Comprende actividades de entretenimiento, utilización de juegos y de las tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) para involucrar a los alumnos en su aprendizaje. Estas ideas no se han organizado por área temática, sino que se han agrupados en bloques que facilitan el desarrollo de determinadas capacidades y habilidades.

Philosophy and the war, /

Mode of access: Internet.

The dial : a magazine for literature, philosophy, and religion

Mode of access: Internet.

Discussions on philosophy and literature, education and university reform : chiefly from The Edinburgh Review /

Mode of access: Internet.

David Hume and his influence on philosophy and theology,

"Appendix: On some editions of Hume's works": p. 237-241.

Columbia University contributions to philosophy and psychology.

Volume numbers irregular: v. 14, no. 3 repeated; v. 15, no. 1 omitted; v. 16, no. 1 called v. [blank] no. 4; v. 17, no. 4 called v. 17, no. 3; v. 10, no. 1 [a] called v. 18, no. 1; v. 23 omitted.

Browning's message to his time: his religion, philosophy, and science.

Bound in maroon cloth; stamped in gold and blind; gray coated endpapers.

Discussions on philosophy and literature, education and university reform.

Mode of access: Internet.

Rabbinic philosophy and ethics illustrated by haggadic parables and legends,

Mode of access: Internet.

Philosophy and religion; six lectures, delivered at Cambridge.

Mode of access: Internet.