Summary
Contents
What is chaos? How can it be measured? How are the models estimated? What is catastrophe? How is it modelled? How are the models estimated? These questions are the focus of this volume. Beginning with an explanation of the differences between deterministic and probabilistic models, Brown then introduces the reader to chaotic dynamics. Other topics covered are finding settings in which chaos can be measured, estimating chaos using nonlinear least squares and specifying catastrophe models. Finally a nonlinear system of equations that models catastrophe using real survey data is estimated.
What is Chaos?
What is Chaos?
In its essence, chaos is an irregular oscillatory process. Because chaos is a subset of the more general classification of oscillatory dynamics, it is useful—before venturing into chaos—to review briefly the extent to which regular oscillatory processes influence human behavior.
Many behaviors that are repeated can be described as some form of a regular oscillatory process. Such processes include our daily cycles of waking and sleeping, going to classes or work, eating our meals, and spending time with our families. Other processes have longer cycles, such as our weekly participation in worship services and our attendance at school at the beginning of each new term. We also vote in cycles. In the United States, citizens vote for Congress every two years and for ...