Mathematics and Statistics in the Social Sciences

Abstract

, webpage: www.laeuferpaar.de. 1 In our usage, "social science" includes disciplines such as anthropology, political science, and sociology, but also economics and parts of linguistics and psychology. 5 For a more detailed discussion of modeling in the social sciences, see ch. 29 ("Local models versus global theories, and their assessment") of this handbook. For a general review of models in science, see Frigg and Hartmann (2007). 6 See ch. 15 ("Rational choice and its alternatives") of this handbook. 7 See ch. 16 ("Game theory") of this handbook. 8 See ch. 17 ("Evolutionary approaches") of this handbook. 9 See also ch. 18 ("Networks") of this handbook.

Can Mathematics Strengthen Educational Theories?

“…The application of a theory to other situations and whether the theory is part of a larger theory can be more easily determined. 1 Specific mathematical methods like decision theory, game theory, and social choice theory, emerged from problems in the social sciences. Decision theory is concerned with the reasoning underlying an agent's choices and is a theory of beliefs, desires, attitudes, and choices among others.…”