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.
Strategies for Specifying Catastrophe Models
Strategies for Specifying Catastrophe Models
This chapter suggests theoretical reasons for including algebraic structures that can produce catastrophes within continuous-time models of social processes. The various algebraic specifications presented are not a collection of definitive models from which researchers must borrow for their own work. Rather, this chapter is a collection of ideas, some or many of which may be useful in applied specifications in a variety of contexts. It is unlikely that a researcher would want to borrow an entire model as specified here, but fragments of these models will certainly be useful elsewhere once the principles of application are clearly understood. This chapter also expands the current discussion to illustrate alternative types of catastrophes. To simplify the presentation of material, I do not ...