In search of a model of human dynamics analysis applied 
to social sciences 
Dalton Lopes Martins 
dmartins@gmail.com 
Federal University of Goiás 
Student Conference on 
Complexity Science (SCCS) 
University of Sussex 
Brighton 
United Kingdom 
2014 Image by: Marc Ngui - http://athousandplateaus-drawings.tumblr.com/
Who I am 
● Dalton Martins 
– PhD in Information Science 
– Federal University of Goias 
● Information and Communication LAB 
– Working with: 
● Information management 
● Infometrics,Scientometrics 
● Human Dynamics 
● Social networks 
LABICOM - UFG
Human Dynamics 
● 2 questions drives my research: 
– how to think conceptually the human dynamics 
considering humans as agents of multiple 
complex systems that they are part of 
– which analytical dimensions that we must 
take into consideration for building an efficient 
method to research human dynamics
Human Dynamics 
● Definition of complex system: 
– “A system in wich large networks of components with no central 
control and simple rules of operation give rise to complex 
collective behavior, sophisticated information processing, and 
adaptation via learning or evolution” (Mitchell, 2009). 
– “Systems in wich organized behavior arises without an internal 
or external controller or leader are sometimes called self-organizing” 
(Mitchell, 2009). 
– It'a a tradition to think in complex systems without an internal or 
external controller or leader. 
● But, in terms of Human Dynamics: 
– Culture, habits, power structures could 
not be thought of as something that exerts some kind of 
control or driving behavior?
3 analytical dimensions 
● Philosophical 
– explanatory models of human behavior 
● Mathematical 
– strategies to analyze and describe the human 
dynamics 
● Technological 
– strategies to collect, process, and visualize data 
from social interactions
philosophical dimension 
● Dispositif 
– A fundamental concept to my research; 
– Michel Foucault generally uses the term "dispositif," to 
refer to the various institutional, physical, and 
administrative mechanisms and knowledge 
structures which enhance and maintain the exercise of 
power within the social body; 
– Represents discursive and non discursive human 
practices; 
– Machines that make something visible and speakable
philosophical dimension 
● Dispositif as practices 
– “A practice is a preconceptual, anonymous, socially 
sanctioned body of rules that govern one's 
manner of perceiving, judging, imagining and acting” 
(Flynn, 2003). 
– “Foucault describes practice as the point of 
linkage of what one says and what one does, of the 
rules one prescribes to onesef and the reasons one 
ascribes, of projects and of evidences” (Flynn, 2003). 
– “Practices establish and apply norms, controls, 
and exclusions; on the other, they render true/false 
discourse possible” (Flynn, 2003).
philosophical dimension 
● Dispositif 
– 4 lines could be used to describe a dispositif 
(Deleuze, 1990) 
● Visibility 
– Wich allows the dispositif to be visible 
● Enunciation 
– Wich allows the dispositif to be speakble 
● Forces 
– words and things to be affirmed 
● Subjectivity 
– Modes of life
philosophical dimension 
Dispositifs as practices which makes the difference: complex natural and human systems 
Image Source: http://serc.carleton.edu/details/images/23167.html
philosophical dimension 
● My research proposes: 
– We study the human dynamics from the 
analysis of the dispositifs that emerge in 
the social field. 
– The dispositifs form patterns of 
relationships and relational practices 
that can be studied and described by mathematical 
and technological tools 
– We should be able to create analytical 
methods that use these 4 lines as a means to 
understand and describe what emerges from 
the dynamic human processes.
Mathematical and technological 
dimension: a propose of a framework 
Lines to describe a dispositf objects of study mathematical resources technological resources 
Visibility 
documents natural language modeling data mining 
standards bibliometrics data visualization 
norms infometrics natural language processing 
laws scientometrics statistical processing packages 
organizational hierarchies 
Enunciation 
courses natural language modeling data mining 
books bibliometrics data visualization 
articles infometrics natural language processing 
science fields scientometrics statistical processing packages 
public policies 
Forces 
social networks Structural social network analysis social network analysis package 
Dynamic social network anaysis 
System dynamics 
Subjectivity 
people multivariate statistics and analysis statistical processing packages 
groups, communities qualitative research spreadsheets
Applications 
Visibility 
Enunciation 
Forces 
Subjectivity 
Human practices 
Human dynamics 
This is a way to study human dynamics considering the existence of subtle forms 
of control and influence from the existence of dispositifs
First Application: enunciation 
how organizations describe theirselves 
speech of 81 organizations on sustainability 
proximity of organizations through speech
First Application: how the same organizations 
are related with each other 
social relations of partnership between the organizations
Next steps 
● find ways to investigate the connection between 
the social network and the position of 
organizations through speech; 
● find ways of investigating the subjective 
positions of the organizations for their positions 
in the discursive network and social network.
References 
● MITCHELL, Melanie. Complexity: a guided 
tour. Oxford Press. 2009. 349p. 
● DELEUZE, Gilles. What is a dispositif. In: 
Michel Foucault: philosopher. Ed.: 
ARMSTROMG, Timothy J. Routledge. pp. 159- 
168. 1990. 
● FLYNN, Thomas. Foucault`s Mapping of 
History. In: The Cambridge Companion to 
Foucault. Ed. GUTTING, Gary. Cambridge. 
2003. 465p.

In search of a model of human dynamics analysis applied to social sciences

  • 1.
    In search ofa model of human dynamics analysis applied to social sciences Dalton Lopes Martins dmartins@gmail.com Federal University of Goiás Student Conference on Complexity Science (SCCS) University of Sussex Brighton United Kingdom 2014 Image by: Marc Ngui - http://athousandplateaus-drawings.tumblr.com/
  • 2.
    Who I am ● Dalton Martins – PhD in Information Science – Federal University of Goias ● Information and Communication LAB – Working with: ● Information management ● Infometrics,Scientometrics ● Human Dynamics ● Social networks LABICOM - UFG
  • 3.
    Human Dynamics ●2 questions drives my research: – how to think conceptually the human dynamics considering humans as agents of multiple complex systems that they are part of – which analytical dimensions that we must take into consideration for building an efficient method to research human dynamics
  • 4.
    Human Dynamics ●Definition of complex system: – “A system in wich large networks of components with no central control and simple rules of operation give rise to complex collective behavior, sophisticated information processing, and adaptation via learning or evolution” (Mitchell, 2009). – “Systems in wich organized behavior arises without an internal or external controller or leader are sometimes called self-organizing” (Mitchell, 2009). – It'a a tradition to think in complex systems without an internal or external controller or leader. ● But, in terms of Human Dynamics: – Culture, habits, power structures could not be thought of as something that exerts some kind of control or driving behavior?
  • 5.
    3 analytical dimensions ● Philosophical – explanatory models of human behavior ● Mathematical – strategies to analyze and describe the human dynamics ● Technological – strategies to collect, process, and visualize data from social interactions
  • 6.
    philosophical dimension ●Dispositif – A fundamental concept to my research; – Michel Foucault generally uses the term "dispositif," to refer to the various institutional, physical, and administrative mechanisms and knowledge structures which enhance and maintain the exercise of power within the social body; – Represents discursive and non discursive human practices; – Machines that make something visible and speakable
  • 7.
    philosophical dimension ●Dispositif as practices – “A practice is a preconceptual, anonymous, socially sanctioned body of rules that govern one's manner of perceiving, judging, imagining and acting” (Flynn, 2003). – “Foucault describes practice as the point of linkage of what one says and what one does, of the rules one prescribes to onesef and the reasons one ascribes, of projects and of evidences” (Flynn, 2003). – “Practices establish and apply norms, controls, and exclusions; on the other, they render true/false discourse possible” (Flynn, 2003).
  • 8.
    philosophical dimension ●Dispositif – 4 lines could be used to describe a dispositif (Deleuze, 1990) ● Visibility – Wich allows the dispositif to be visible ● Enunciation – Wich allows the dispositif to be speakble ● Forces – words and things to be affirmed ● Subjectivity – Modes of life
  • 9.
    philosophical dimension Dispositifsas practices which makes the difference: complex natural and human systems Image Source: http://serc.carleton.edu/details/images/23167.html
  • 10.
    philosophical dimension ●My research proposes: – We study the human dynamics from the analysis of the dispositifs that emerge in the social field. – The dispositifs form patterns of relationships and relational practices that can be studied and described by mathematical and technological tools – We should be able to create analytical methods that use these 4 lines as a means to understand and describe what emerges from the dynamic human processes.
  • 11.
    Mathematical and technological dimension: a propose of a framework Lines to describe a dispositf objects of study mathematical resources technological resources Visibility documents natural language modeling data mining standards bibliometrics data visualization norms infometrics natural language processing laws scientometrics statistical processing packages organizational hierarchies Enunciation courses natural language modeling data mining books bibliometrics data visualization articles infometrics natural language processing science fields scientometrics statistical processing packages public policies Forces social networks Structural social network analysis social network analysis package Dynamic social network anaysis System dynamics Subjectivity people multivariate statistics and analysis statistical processing packages groups, communities qualitative research spreadsheets
  • 12.
    Applications Visibility Enunciation Forces Subjectivity Human practices Human dynamics This is a way to study human dynamics considering the existence of subtle forms of control and influence from the existence of dispositifs
  • 13.
    First Application: enunciation how organizations describe theirselves speech of 81 organizations on sustainability proximity of organizations through speech
  • 14.
    First Application: howthe same organizations are related with each other social relations of partnership between the organizations
  • 15.
    Next steps ●find ways to investigate the connection between the social network and the position of organizations through speech; ● find ways of investigating the subjective positions of the organizations for their positions in the discursive network and social network.
  • 16.
    References ● MITCHELL,Melanie. Complexity: a guided tour. Oxford Press. 2009. 349p. ● DELEUZE, Gilles. What is a dispositif. In: Michel Foucault: philosopher. Ed.: ARMSTROMG, Timothy J. Routledge. pp. 159- 168. 1990. ● FLYNN, Thomas. Foucault`s Mapping of History. In: The Cambridge Companion to Foucault. Ed. GUTTING, Gary. Cambridge. 2003. 465p.