scholarly journals The Flatland Fallacy: Moving Beyond Low Dimensional Thinking

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eshin Jolly ◽  
Luke J. Chang
Keyword(s):  
Short Story ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Dimensional Problem ◽  
Psychological Phenomena ◽  
Mathematical Proofs ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
Higher Dimensional ◽  
Complex Landscape ◽  
Low Dimensional ◽  
Complex Phenomena

Psychology is a complicated science. It has no general axioms or mathematical proofs, is rarely directly observable, and has the privilege of being the only discipline in which the content under investigation (i.e. human psychological phenomena) are the very tools utilized to conduct this investigation. For these reasons, it is easy to be seduced by the idea that our psychological theories, limited by our cognitive capacities, accurately reflect a far more complex landscape. Like the Flatlanders in Edwin Abbot’s famous short story (1884), we may be led to believe that the parsimony offered by our low-dimensional theories reflects the reality of a much higher-dimensional problem. Here we contest that this “Flatland fallacy” leads us to seek out simplified explanations of complex phenomena, limiting our capacity as scientists to build and communicate useful models of human psychology. We suggest that this fallacy can be overcome through (1) the use of quantitative models which force researchers to formalize their theories to overcome this fallacy and (2) improved quantitative training which can build new norms for conducting psychological research.

scholarly journals The Flatland Fallacy: Moving Beyond Low Dimensional Thinking

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eshin Jolly ◽  
Luke J. Chang
Keyword(s):  
Short Story ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Dimensional Problem ◽  
Psychological Phenomena ◽  
Mathematical Proofs ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
Higher Dimensional ◽  
Complex Landscape ◽  
Low Dimensional ◽  
Complex Phenomena

Psychology is a complicated science. It has no general axioms or mathematical proofs, is rarely directly observable, and has the privilege of being the only discipline in which the content under investigation (i.e. human psychological phenomena) are the very tools utilized to conduct this investigation. For these reasons, it is easy to be seduced by the idea that our psychological theories, limited by our cognitive capacities, accurately reflect a far more complex landscape. Like the Flatlanders in Edwin Abbot’s famous short story (1884), we may be led to believe that the parsimony offered by our low-dimensional theories reflects the reality of a much higher-dimensional problem. Here we contest that this “Flatland fallacy” leads us to seek out simplified explanations of complex phenomena, limiting our capacity as scientists to build and communicate useful models of human psychology. We suggest that this fallacy can be overcome through (1) the use of quantitative models which force researchers to formalize their theories to overcome this fallacy and (2) improved quantitative training which can build new norms for conducting psychological research.

scholarly journals Two levels of meaning elaboration in psychological research

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 446-450
Author(s):  
David Dias Neto ◽  
Mikael Leiman
Keyword(s):  
Human Action ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Scientific Discipline ◽  
Psychological Phenomena ◽  
The Core ◽  
Replication Crisis ◽  
Alternative Approaches ◽  
Scientific Endeavor ◽  
Complex Phenomena ◽  
The Relationship

Arocha (2021) discusses the “replication crisis,” arguing for models that allow a greater complexity in the relationship between variables and processes. In this comment, we identify a more fundamental issue: the impossibility of eliminating interpretation issues with operational definitions and increased rigor in the measurements of variables and processes. Interpretation is at the core of (a) human action and (b) scientific endeavor. First, considering Vygotsky, we argue that all higher mental processes are sign mediated, influencing psychological research with humans. Second, that the understanding of research results also involves sign mediation and, therefore, it is nonneutral. We suggest two alternative approaches. There needs to be an increase in research that delivers a detailed description of psychological phenomena. Additionally, it is necessary to increase the elucidation of contextual-embeddedness research. Taking into account the two levels of meaning will underline psychology as a scientific discipline of complex phenomena.

Intersectionality as a Framework for Theory and Research in Feminist Psychology

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah R. Warner ◽  
Stephanie A. Shields
Keyword(s):  
Social Activism ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Social Identities ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Science Practices ◽  
Intersectionality Theory ◽  
Psychological Science ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
History Of

Intersectionality theory concerns the interdependence of systems of inequality and implications for psychological research. Social identities cannot be studied independently of one another nor separately from the societal processes that maintain inequality. In this chapter we provide a brief overview of the history of intersectionality theory and then address how intersectionality theory challenges the way psychological theories typically conceive of the person, as well as the methods of data gathering and analysis customarily used by many psychologists. We specifically address two concerns often expressed by feminist researchers. First, how to reconcile the use of an intersectionality framework with currently-valued psychological science practices. Second, how intersectionality transforms psychology’s concern with individual experience by shifting the focus to the individual’s position within sociostructural frameworks and their social and political underpinnings. In a concluding section we identify two future directions for intersectionality theory: how psychological research on intersectionality can facilitate social activism, and current developments in intersectionality theory.

scholarly journals TEORIJSKI I PRAKTIČNI ZNAČAJ SLOŽENIH MODELA ZASNOVANIH NA ANALIZAMA MODERACIJE I MEDIJACIJE

1970 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-76
Author(s):  
Milica M. Lazić
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Statistical Methods ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
The Social ◽  
Complex Models ◽  
Serial Mediation ◽  
Complex Relationships ◽  
Complex Phenomena ◽  
Mediation Moderation ◽  
Criterion Variables

Most statistical methods applied in the social sciences involve testing direct relationships among variables. However, since psychology deals with complex phenomena, this corpus of methods is not sufficient to understand the mechanisms and conditions under which certain direct relationships apply. Moderation and mediation analyzes were the first step towards understanding the more complex relationships among variables. The analysis of mediation answers the question of “how” and “why”, or through what mechanisms a particular relation is realized, while the analysis of moderation offers the answer to the question of “when”, “for whom” and “under what conditions” a particular relation between the predictor and criterion variables applies. Although the increasing use of moderation and mediation analyzes has led to advances in understanding the phenomena addressed by psychology, complex psychological theories require testing more complex models based on these analyzes. Accordingly, this paper will outline theoretical rationales for using models such as moderated mediation, moderation mediation, parallel and serial mediation, three-way interaction, and nonlinear moderation. This paper focuses on explaining the conceptual differences between these complex models, through demonstrating the need to use these models on examples of different psychological theories.

Dynamical Variation of Weierstrass-Mandelbrot Function in Higher Dimensional Space

2013 ◽  
Vol 470 ◽  
pp. 767-771
Author(s):  
L. Zhang ◽  
Shu Tang Liu
Keyword(s):  
Hurst Exponent ◽  
Dimensional Space ◽  
Dynamical Behavior ◽  
Fractal Dimensions ◽  
Statistical Characteristics ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Higher Dimensional ◽  
Complex Phenomena ◽  
Real Complex

Many real complex phenomena are related with Weierstrass-Mandelbrot function (WMF). Most researches focus on the systems as parameters fixed, such as calculations of its different fractal dimensions or the statistical characteristics of its generalized form and so on. Moreover, real systems always change according to different environments, so that to study the dynamical behavior of these systems as parameters change is important. However, there is few results about this aim. In this paper, we propose simulated results for the effects of parameters changeably on the graph of WMF in higher dimensional space. In addition, the relationships between the Hurst exponent of WMF and its parameters dynamically in 2-and 3-dimensional spaces are also given.

Non-Standard Reduction of Noisy Structural Systems: Shallow Arches

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lalit Vedula ◽  
N. Sri Namachchivaya
Keyword(s):  
Markov Process ◽  
Random Perturbation ◽  
Exit Time ◽  
Stochastic Averaging ◽  
Dimensional System ◽  
Shallow Arches ◽  
Higher Dimensional ◽  
Mean Exit Time ◽  
Stationary Probability Density Function ◽  
Low Dimensional

Abstract The dynamics of a shallow arch subjected to small random external and parametric excitation is invegistated in this work. We develop rigorous methods to replace, in some limiting regime, the original higher dimensional system of equations by a simpler, constructive and rational approximation – a low-dimensional model of the dynamical system. To this end, we study the equations as a random perturbation of a two-dimensional Hamiltonian system. We achieve the model-reduction through stochastic averaging and the reduced Markov process takes its values on a graph with certain glueing conditions at the vertex of the graph. Examination of the reduced Markov process on the graph yields many important results such as mean exit time, stationary probability density function.

scholarly journals Time averaged properties along unstable periodic orbits and chaotic orbits in two map systems

2008 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 675-680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Saiki ◽  
M. Yamada
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Periodic Orbit ◽  
Periodic Orbits ◽  
Space Physics ◽  
Unstable Periodic Orbits ◽  
Unstable Periodic Orbit ◽  
Geophysical Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Chaotic Orbits ◽  
Low Dimensional ◽  
Complex Phenomena

Abstract. Unstable periodic orbit (UPO) recently has become a keyword in analyzing complex phenomena in geophysical fluid dynamics and space physics. In this paper, sets of UPOs in low dimensional maps are theoretically or systematically found, and time averaged properties along UPOs are studied, in relation to those of chaotic orbits.

TIME LOWER BOUNDS FOR PERMUTATION ROUTING ON MULTI-DIMENSIONAL BUSED MESHES

1993 ◽  
Vol 03 (02) ◽  
pp. 129-138
Author(s):  
STEVEN CHEUNG ◽  
FRANCIS C.M. LAU
Keyword(s):  
Lower Bound ◽  
Lower Bounds ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Dimensional Case ◽  
Routing Problem ◽  
Higher Dimensional ◽  
Low Dimensional ◽  
Permutation Routing

We present time lower bounds for the permutation routing problem on three- and higher-dimensional n x…x n meshes with buses. We prove an (r–1)n/r lower bound for the general case of an r-dimensional bused mesh, r≥2, which is not as strong for low-dimensional as for higher-dimensional cases. We then use a different approach to construct a 0.705n lower bound for the three-dimensional case.

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