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Fractal Analysis
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Fractal Analysis



April 2010 | 112 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
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.

This is the only book designed to introduce fractal analysis to a general social science audience.

 
About the Authors
 
Series Editor's Introduction
 
Preface
 
Chapter 1. Introduction to Fractal Analysis
Mandelbrot

 
What Are Fractals?

 
Fractal Dimension: Quantifying Fractal Properties

 
The Formal Definition of Fractals

 
Discussion

 
 
Chapter 2. Fractal Analysis of Frequency Distributions
Power Laws

 
Summary

 
 
Chapter 3. Fractal Patterns Embedded in Two Dimensions
Estimating the Fractal Dimension of Empirical Data

 
Summary and Discussion

 
 
Chapter 4. Social Processes That Generate Fractals
How We Do Our "To Do" Lists: Preferential Priorities

 
How We Kill: Attendant Causes, Self-Organized Criticality, and Agent-Based Models

 
How We Network: Preferential Attachment

 
How We Decide Where to Live: Diffusion Limited Aggregation

 
How We Look for Food: Lévy Flights

 
How We Live Together: Balancing Cohesive and Disruptive Forces

 
Summary and Discussion

 
 
Chapter 5. Advanced Topics in Fractal Analysis
Multiscaling Fractal Patterns

 
Patterns Embedded in Three Dimensions

 
Self-Affine Fractals

 
Fractal Time Series

 
Multifractals

 
Lacunarity

 
Conclusion

 
 
Chapter 6. Final Considerations
Should I Try Fractal Analysis?

 
 
References
 
Author Index
 
Subject Index
Key features
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.

For instructors

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ISBN: 9781483343129

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ISBN: 9781412971652
$42.00

This title is also available on SAGE Research Methods, the ultimate digital methods library. If your library doesn’t have access, ask your librarian to start a trial.