Analytical Sociology: Actions and Networks

Demonstrates the power of the theoretical framework of analytical sociology in explaining a large array of social phenomena Analytical Sociology: Actions and Networks presents the most advanced theoretical discussion of analytical sociology, along with a unique set of examples on mechanism–based sociology. Leading scholars apply the theoretical principles of analytical sociology to understand how puzzling social and historical phenomena including crime, lynching, witch–hunts, tax behaviours, Web–based social movement and communication, restaurant reputation, job search and careers, social network homophily and instability, cooperation and trust are brought about by complex, multi–layered social mechanisms. The analyses presented in this book rely on a wide range of methods which include qualitative observations, advanced statistical techniques, complex network tools, refined simulation methods and creative experimental protocols. This book ultimately demonstrates that sociology, like any other science, is at its best when it dissects the mechanisms at work by means of rigorous model building and testing.       Analytical Sociology: Provides the most complete and up–to–date theoretical treatment of analytical sociology. Looks at a wide range of complex social phenomena within a single and unitary theoretical framework. Explores a variety of advanced methods to build and test theoretical models. Examines how both computational modelling and experiments can be used to study the complex relation between norms, networks and social actions. Brings together research from leading global experts in the field in order to present a unique set of examples on mechanism–based sociology. Advanced graduate students and researchers working in sociology, methodology of social sciences, statistics, social networks analysis and computer simulation will benefit from this book.

Preface and Acknowledgments List of Contributors Introduction Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 1 1 Data, Generative Models, and Mechanisms: More on the Principles of Analytical Sociology Gianluca Manzo 1.1 Introduction 1.2 The Principles of Analytical Sociology 1.3 Clarity (P1) 1.4 Description (P2) 1.5 Generative Models (P3) 1.6 Structural Methodological Individualism (P4a) 1.7 Logics of Action (P4b) 1.8 Structural Interdependency (P4c) 1.9 Agent–Based Modeling (P5) 1.10 Back to Data (P6 and P7) 1.11 Concluding Remarks 1.12 How to Read this Book References Further Reading Part I ACTIONS Foundational Issues Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 2 2 Analytical Sociology and Rational–Choice Theory Peter Hedström and Petri Ylikoski 2.1 Rational–Choice Theory 2.2 Sociological Rational–Choice Theory 2.3 Analytical Sociology as a Meta–Theory 2.4 The Key Ideas of Analytical Sociology 2.4.1 Mechanism–Based Explanation 2.4.2 Realism 2.4.3 Theories of Middle Range 2.4.4 Theory of Action 2.5 The Puzzle 2.6 The Assumed Special Role of RCT 2.7 Conclusion References Further Reading Crime and Voting Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 3 3 Why Crime Happens: A Situational Action Theory Per–Olof H. Wikström 3.1 Situational Action Theory 3.2 Explaining Crime 3.3 The Situational Model 3.4 The Situational Process 3.4.1 Motivation 3.4.2 Perception of Action Alternatives: The Moral Filter 3.4.3 The Process of Choice: Habits and Deliberation 3.4.4 Controls: Self–Control and Deterrence 3.5 The Social Model 3.6 Integrating the Social and Situational Models 3.7 Testing SAT 3.7.1 The Peterborough Adolescent and Young Adult Development Study 3.7.2 Measuring Crime, Crime Propensity and Criminogenic Exposure 3.7.3 Crime Involvement by Crime Propensity and Criminogenic Exposure 3.7.4 The Impact of Criminogenic Exposure on Crime for Groups with Different Levels of Crime Propensity 3.8 Explaining Crime Concentrations (Hot Spots) 3.9 Coda References Further Reading Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 4 4 Frames, Scripts, and Variable Rationality: An Integrative Theory of Action Clemens Kroneberg 4.1 Introduction 4.2 The Model of Frame Selection (MFS) 4.2.1 Frames, Scripts, and Actions 4.2.2 Dual–processes: Spontaneous vs. Reflected Modes of Selection 4.2.3 The Determinants of Variable Rationality 4.3 Hypotheses and Previous Applications 1 4.4 An Exemplary Application Using Survey Data: Explaining Voter Participation 1 4.4.1 Theory 4.4.2 Data and Measures 4.4.3 Results 4.5 Applying the MFS to Study Social Dynamics 4.5.1 The MFS and the Study of Social Movements and Collective Action 4.5.2 Strategic Interaction with Variable Rationality and Framing 4.6 Conclusion References Further Reading Historical Violence Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 5 5 Analytical Sociology and Quantitative Narrative Analysis: Explaining Lynchings in Georgia (1875–1930) 127 Roberto Franzosi 5.1 Strange Fruits on Southern Trees 5.2 Analytical Sociology 5.3 Quantitative Narrative Analysis (QNA) 5.3.1 Step 1: Story Grammars 1 5.3.2 Step 2: PC–ACE (Program for Computer–Assisted Coding of Events) 5.3.3 Step 3: Data Analysis: Actor–Centered vs. Variable–Centered Tools of Analysis 5.4 Of Sequences 5.5 Of Time and Space 5.6 Conclusions Acknowledgments References Further Reading Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 6 6 Identity and Opportunity in Early Modern Politics: How Job Vacancies Induced Witch Persecutions in Scotland, 1563–1736 151 Anna Mitschele 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Theories about Witches and Research on State Making 6.3 Towards a Theory of Persecution 6.3.1 Communities 6.3.2 Elite Social Structure and Government 6.4 Witch–Hunting in Scotland 6.5 Findings 6.5.1 Prosecution as Career Device I: Waves of Witch–Hunting and their Historical Correlates 6.5.2 Prosecution as Career Device II: Witch–Hunters Become Justices of the Peace 6.5.3 Competing Explanations I: The Godly State Ideology 6.5.4 Competing Explanations II: Witches as Scapegoats for Disaster 6.6 Discussion Acknowledgements References Further Reading Trust and Cooperation Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 7 7 Mechanisms of Cooperation Davide Barrera 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Cooperation Problems in Dyadic Settings 7.2.1 Models of Trust Problem 7.2.2 Cooperation Mechanisms in Embedded Settings 7.2.3 Empirical Research on Trust in Embedded Settings 7.2.4 Dyadic Embeddedness 7.2.5 Network Embeddedness 7.3 Cooperation Problems Involving More than Two Actors 7.3.1 Reciprocity and Non–Standard Utility Models 7.3.2 Empirical Evidence on Heterogeneous Preferences 7.4 Discussion and Concluding Remarks References Further Reading Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 8 Baldassarri ’ s Preface to Chapter 8 8 The Impact of Elections on Cooperation: Evidence from a Lab–in–the–Field Experiment in Uganda Guy Grossman and Delia Baldassarri 8.1 Theoretical Framework and Hypotheses 8.2 Research Site, Sampling, and Experimental Design 8.3 Research Site 8.4 Sampling and Data Collection 8.5 Experimental Design 8.6 Experimental Findings 8.7 Monitors’ Sanctioning Behavior 8.8 Discussion of the Experimental Part 8.9 Observational Data 8.10 Comparing Behavior in the Experiment and Real Life 8.11 Conclusion Supporting Information Appendix 8.A Acknowledgments References Further Reading Part II NETWORKS Collective Action Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 9 9 Social Networks and Agent–Based Modelling Meredith Rolfe 9.1 Social Network Properties 9.1.1 Surveys of Personal Networks 9.2 Network Construction Techniques 9.2.1 Global Reference or Full Information 9.2.2 Random Graph Local Networks 9.2.3 Two–Dimensional Lattices or Grid–Based Networks 9.2.4 One–Dimensional Lattice or Small–World Method 9.2.5 Biased or Structured Random Networks 9.3 Networks as Pipes: A Basic Demonstration 9.3.1 Global Networks and Group Size 9.3.2 Results with Network Construction Methods 9.4 Discussion References Further Reading Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 10 10 Online Networks and the Diffusion of Protest Sandra Gonz alez–Bailón, Javier Borge–Holthoefer, and Yamir Moreno 10.1 Diffusion Dynamics 10.1.1 Models of Diffusion 10.1.2 Case Study 10.2 Thresholds and Critical Mass 10.3 Networks and Social Influence 10.4 Conclusion: Digital Data and Analytical Sociology References Further Reading Homophily and Status Hierarchies Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 11 11 Liability to Rupture: Multiple Mechanisms and Subgroup Formation. An Exploratory Theoretical Study Peter Abell 11.1 Introduction 11.2 A Formal Framework 11.3 Balance Theory 11.4 Homophily (H–theory) 11.5 Baseline Structures 11.6 Developing a Dynamic Mechanism for Balance Theory 11.7 Developing a Dynamic Mechanism for H–theory 11.8 The Dynamic Interaction of Balance and H–theories 2 11.9 Conclusions Appendix 11.A Micro–Macro Inferences and Scale References Further Reading Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 12 12 Network Size and Network Homophily: Same–Sex Friendships in 595 Scandinavian Schools Thomas Grund 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Theoretical Considerations 12.2.1 Biased Urn Model Without Replacement for Network Formation 12.2.2 Role of Group Size for Homophily 12.3 Empirical Application: Same–Sex Ties in School Classes 12.3.1 Hypotheses 12.3.2 Data and Method 12.4 Results 12.5 Conclusion References Further Reading Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 13 13 Status and Participation in Online Task Groups: An Agent–Based Model Simone Gabbriellini 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Previous Models 13.3 E–state Structuralism: A Very Brief Review with an Add–On 13.4 Case Study: Strategies and Discussions in Massively Multi–Player Online Games 13.5 Analysis of the Model 13.6 Empirical Test/Validation of the Model 13.7 Conclusions References Further Reading Labour Market Inequality Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 14 14 Turbulent Careers: Social Networks, Employer Hiring Preferences, and Job Instability Christine Fountain and Katherine Stovel 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Background 14.2.1 The Rise of Turbulence in Individual EmploymentTrajectories 14.2.2 Inequality in Insecurity 14.3 Networks 14.3.1 Network Structure and Inequality in Information 14.3.2 Our Approach 14.4 Methods 14.4.1 The Simulation Environment 14.4.2 Implementation 14.4.3 Experimental Structure 14.5 Results 14.6 Summary and Conclusions Technical Appendix 14.A: Detailed Description of jobMatch Simulation Model Acknowledgments References Further Reading Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 15 15 Employer Networks, Priming, and Discrimination in Hiring: An Experiment K aroly Tak acs, Flaminio Squazzoni, Giangiacomo Bravo, and Marco Castellani 15.1 Introduction 15.2 Method 15.2.1 Experimental Design 15.2.2 Manipulations 15.2.3 Subjects 15.3 Results 15.3.1 Index Values 15.3.2 Hierarchical Models 15.3.3 From Traditional Testing Toward Finding Indicators for Mechanisms 15.4 Discussion Acknowledgments References Further Reading Organization Similarity Editor ’ s Introduction to Chapter 16 16 The Duality of Organizations and Audiences Balázs Kovács 16.1 Introduction 16.2 Similarity and the Duality of Organizations and their Audiences 16.3 Organizational Similarity, Audiences, and Arguments for Extending Structural Equivalence 16.4 A Representation for Dual Similarity of Organizations and their Audiences 16.5 Empirical Illustration: The Duality of Restaurants and their Reviewers 16.6 Similarity as a Basis for Prediction: Validating the Model 16.7 Discussion, Implications, and Limitations 16.8 Connections to Analytical Sociology References Further Reading Coda Problem Shift in Sociology: Mechanisms, Generic Instruments, and Fractals Gianluca Manzo Index