Are we what we do? Exploring group behaviour through user-defined event-sequence similarity

Abstract

Are we what we do? Exploring group behaviour through user-defined event-sequence similarity Katerina Vrotsou, Anders Ynnerman, and Matthew Cooper AbstractThe study of human activity in space and time is an inherent part of human geography. In order to perform such studies data on the time use of individuals, in terms of sequence and timing of performed activities, are collected and analysed. A common assumption when analysing individuals' time use is that groups that exhibit similar background and demographic characteristics also display similarities in how they use their time to structure their daily lives. In this paper we set out to investigate the correctness of such assumptions. We propose a visual analytics process, based on sequence similarity measures tailored to event-based data such as performed activity sequences. The process allows an analyst to retrieve similarly behaving records according to user-selected similarity preferences, and interactively explore aspects of this similarity in a multiple linkedview environment.

Women’s Mobility and the Situational Conditions of Rape: Cases Reported to Hospitals

“…We used the VISUAL-TimePAcTS system to visualize the sequences of activities of women over time and space as an aid to analyze the situational conditions of pre- and postrape. The system provides functionality to interactively explore different aspects of the collected event sequences, identify patterns across them and cluster the sequences based on the identified patterns (Vrotsou, Ellegård, & Cooper, 2009; Vrotsou, Ynnerman, & Cooper, 2014). Inspecting patterns of activities with regard to their timing and duration in this data sample gives rise to hypotheses about the temporal relations of these activities regarding the outcome of rape that should be investigated further through modeling.…”

“…We used VISUAL-TimePAcTS as a tool to visualize and identify patterns and sequences of activities of women over time and space as an aid to analyze the situational conditions of pre-and post-rape (Vrotsou, Ynnerman & Cooper, 2014;Vrotsou, Ellegård, & Cooper, 2009). The tool also provides functionality to interact and explore different aspects of the collected event sequences.…”

Gender Divisions in the Real Time of the Elderly in South Africa

“…OM methods were developed in the sciences, but they have since been applied to the social sciences to explore school-to-work transitions and life trajectories (cf. Abbott and Forrest 1986;Halpin and Chan 1998;Abbot and Tsay 2000;McVicar and Anyadike-Danes 2002), and in a handful of studies, to analyze time diaries (Lesnard 2004(Lesnard , 2008(Lesnard , 2010Vrotsou et al 2014).…”

Sequencing the real time of the elderly: Evidence from South Africa

“…They have since been applied in the social sciences, where they have been used to analyse life trajectories, career paths, and school to work transitions (cf. Abbott and Forrest 1986;Halpin and Chan 1998;Abbott and Tsay 2000;McVicar and Anyadike-Danes 2002), and, in a small number of studies, to analyse time diaries (Lesnard 2004;2008;2010;Vrotsou, Ynnerman, and Cooper 2014).…”