Thomas J. Fararo

Rational Choice Theory Advocacy and Critique

Introduction - James S Coleman and Thomas J Farraro PART ONE: THEMES OF ADVOCACY The Method of Decreasing Abstraction - Siegwart Lindenberg The Role of Models of Purposive Action in Sociology - Margaret Marini Rational Choice as a Principle - David Willer The Case of Elementary Theory The Attainment of Global Order in Heterogeneous Societies - Michael Hechter, Debra Friedman and Satoshi Kanazawa PART TWO: CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES Rationality and Emotion - Thomas J Scheff Homage to Norbert Elias Rationality and Robustness in Multilevel Systems - Michael Hannan Rational Choice Theory - Richard Munch A Critical Assessment of Its Explanatory Power PART THREE: RATIONAL CHOICE: PRO AND CON The Limits of Rational Choice Explanation - James Bonham Is Rational Choice Theory a Rational Choice Theory? - Peter Abell

Structural equivalence in a journal network

Concepts and techniques used in contemporary social network analysis are applied to a network of journals based on citation. By means of procedures drawing on the notion of structural equivalence, a set of blocks or positions, containing journals, are delineated. These blocks have a very close correspondence to a categorization of the journals based on their aims and objectives, supporting the idea of treating the journals of a discipline as a status‐role relational system. By means of the reduced image of the network, a highly centralized and hierarchical structure appears. Some hypotheses concerning the structure and operation of journal networks are advanced.

The growth of sociological theories

Introduction What is a Theory? Theoretical Context Theoretical Context and Theory Growth Theoretical Research Programs The Social Context of Theory Growth Toward A Theory of Theory Growth Conclusions

Institutions as production systems

This paper proposes a formal mode of representation and a corresponding way of thinking about institutionalized social action. It draws its representational technique and its way of thinking about its subject from several sources, including systems theory, cognitive science, and structuralism. It is based on the idea that a model involves a proposed generative mechanism for observable patterns of action and that such a generator must be a system of rules. We discuss the philosophical and sociological presuppositions of our proposal, then outline in detail and illustrate the idea of a production system model. Following this, we argue that the proposed mode of representation is appropriate for “the action frame of reference” and then develop a series of specific “problematics” involving the structural analysis of institutionalized social action. We conclude with a discussion of issues and problems for further research. The paper does not include mathematical work found elsewhere, although it tries to indica...

Biased networks and social structure theorems

Abstract It is shown that the part of Peter Blaus theory of social structure bearing on heterogeneity can be imbedded within the framework of biased networks, thereby clarifying conceptual aspects of the theory as well as providing a mathematical proof of the most central heterogeneity theorem for a class of networks. The key step is the postulation of a mathematical concept of salience, called an ‘inbreeding bias’ in prior work, which corresponds to Blaus fundamental axiom. In addition, there are derivations and discussions bearing on related topics in the analysis of social structure.

Advances in biased net theory: definitions, derivations, and estimations

Abstract Random and biased net theory, introduced by Rapoport and others in the 1950s, is one of the earliest approaches to the formal modeling of social networks. In this theory, intended as a theory of large-scale networks, ties between nodes derive both from random and non-random events of connection. The non-random connections are postulated to arise through “bias” events that incorporate known or suspected systematic tendencies in tie formation, such as, mutuality or reciprocity, transitivity or closure in triads, and homophily—the overrepresentation of ties between persons who share important socio-demographic attributes like race/ethnicity or level of educational attainment. A key problem for biased net theory has been analytical intractability of the models. Formal derivations require approximation assumptions and model parameters have been difficult to estimate. The accuracy of the derived formulas and the estimated parameters has been difficult to assess. In this paper, we attempt to address long-standing issues in biased net models stemming from their analytical intractability. We first reformulate and clarify the definitions of basic biases. Second, we derive from first principles the triad distribution in a biased net, using two different analytical strategies to check our derivations. Third, we set out a pseudo-likelihood method for parameter estimation of key bias parameters and then check the accuracy of this relatively simple but approximate scheme against the results obtained from the triad distribution derivation.

Tripartite structural analysis: Generalizing the Breiger-Wilson formalism

Abstract Tripartite graphs have three types of nodes and ties exist only between nod this paper, we indicate the background of work in structural analysis that leads to the use of such graphs and we develop the associated matrix methods. Fundamentally, the idea is to move another step forward in our ability to treat in analytical terms the general phenomenon of overlapping inclusions, such as that of persons and groups. We relate this idea to classic concerns with the interpenetration of persons, social systems, and cultural systems. In detail, the framework and results generalize those of Breiger (1974) and Wilson (1982) .

Biased networks and social structure theorems: Part II

It was shown in a previous paper (Fararo 1981) that the part of Peter Blaus theory of social structure bearing on heterogeneity could be embedded within the framework of biased net models, providing a conceptual and mathematical basis for its central theorems. This paper continues this project. It begins by indicating certain revisions of the earlier work and then turns to the part of Blaus theory that deals with inequality and shows how the simplest inbreeding bias model, through a series of derivations and constructive generalizations, permits the derivation of basic theorems that relate the Gini inequality (of a population) to what we term the relational Gini (of a network). The central idea is to construct theoretical models that yield specific forms of transformation of the population Gini into the relational Gini.

Actors and networks as objects

Abstract This paper explores the application of two contemporary computational methods to the development of sociological theory. Specifically, we combine the methods of object-orientation with discrete event simulation. This approach has several advantages for constructing and evaluating dynamic social theories. In object-oriented program design, objects combine and integrate the traditional concepts of data structures and algorithms, the building blocks of structured programming. Algorithms associated with objects are called methods or member functions. Constructing social actors as objects involves defining both their data attributes and the methods associated with these attributes. We also treat a social network as a computational object. It has data types of nodes and ties. As an object, the network must also have methods that add and delete nodes and ties. Once a network exists, we can create other data types and methods that describe and analyze the network. For example, networks have in-degree and out-degree vectors, and measures of hierarchy. In principle, we can create attributes of networks for all of the structural measures we use to describe networks. We use actor and network objects in a discrete event simulation of a process of formation of dominance structures, exploring several dynamic variations of the underlying theoretical model.

Action and Institution, Network and Function: The Cybernetic Concept of Social Structure

A program of research on the formal representation and analysis of institutional structures is taken a step further by integrating it with recent developments in the formal representation of hierarchical levels of inclusion or part-whole relations. We begin by reviewing a cybernetic conception of action and show how this relates to the construction of production system models of institutional structures. Thereafter, we treat the inclusion hierarchy to show how the production rule constitutes the conceptual unit integrating social knowledge and social action upon which are built two hierarchies, involving institutional entities and social networks, respectively. We indicate some of the detailed forms of control involved in these hierarchies and then show how a form of functional analysis can be undertaken on this basis. Finally, we provide a lengthy discussion of the promise and problems of this mode of structural analysis.