Fractal patterns were first identified and are mostly widely known in the natural world, but they also appeared in the social sciences as early as the late 19th century. Brown (anthropology) and Leibovitch (psychology, interdisciplinary science, and mathematics; both Florida Atlantic U.) offer a primer on applying fractal mathematics and statistics to social phenomena. They assume no mathematical background at all, and start with basic ideas like sets and distributions. They also want to persuade social scientists and students that fractal analysis is relevant to their field. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
A specialized presentation of fractal analysis oriented to the social sciences
This primer uses straightforward language to give the reader step-by-step instructions for identifying and analyzing fractal patterns and the social process that create them. By making fractals accessible to the social science students, this book has a significant impact on the understanding of human behavior.
Key Features
- Detailed examples help readers learn and understand the analytical methods presented.
- Matlab codes for programs allow users to implement, on their own, some of the techniques described in the text. Visit http://www.ccs.fau.edu/~liebovitch/larry.html for more details.
- Clear and logical explanations of fractals and their analysis enable the instructor to easily teach and the student to easily learn the material.
This is the only book designed to introduce fractal analysis to a general social science audience.
