dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaPerceptions of Complex Systems Are Governed by Power Laws
| Authors | Uygar Ozesmi |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | q-bio/0601033 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/q-bio/0601033 |
Abstract
Many networks in natural and human-made systems exhibit scale-free properties and are small worlds. Now we show that people's understanding of complex systems in their cognitive maps also follow a scale-free topology. People focus on a few attributes, relating these with many other things in the system. Many more attributes have very few connections. People use relatively short explanations to describe events; their cognitive map is a small world with less than six degrees of separation. These findings may help us to better understand people's perceptions, especially when it comes to decision-making, conflict resolution, politics and management.
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"abstract": "Many networks in natural and human-made systems exhibit scale-free properties\nand are small worlds. Now we show that people\u0027s understanding of complex\nsystems in their cognitive maps also follow a scale-free topology. People focus\non a few attributes, relating these with many other things in the system. Many\nmore attributes have very few connections. People use relatively short\nexplanations to describe events; their cognitive map is a small world with less\nthan six degrees of separation. These findings may help us to better understand\npeople\u0027s perceptions, especially when it comes to decision-making, conflict\nresolution, politics and management.",
"arxiv_id": "q-bio/0601033",
"authors": [
"Uygar Ozesmi"
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"q-bio.OT",
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"title": "Perceptions of Complex Systems Are Governed by Power Laws",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/q-bio/0601033"
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