Big Data under the Microscope and Brains in Social Context: Integrating Methods from Computational Social Science and Neuroscience

Methods for analyzing neural and computational social science data are usually used by different types of scientists and generally seen as distinct, but they strongly complement one another. Computational social science methodologies can strengthen and contextualize individual-level analysis, specif...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 2015-05, Vol.659 (1), p.274-289
Main Authors: O'DONNELL, MATTHEW BROOK, FALK, EMILY B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Brain research
Innovations in Computational Social Science
Methodology
Neuroscience
Neurosciences
Observation
Scientists
Social networks
Social sciences
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Summary:Methods for analyzing neural and computational social science data are usually used by different types of scientists and generally seen as distinct, but they strongly complement one another. Computational social science methodologies can strengthen and contextualize individual-level analysis, specifically our understanding of the brain. Neuroscience can help to unpack the mechanisms that lead from micro- through meso- to macrolevel observations. Integrating levels of analysis is essential to unified progress in social research. We present two example areas that illustrate this integration. First, combining egocentric social network data with neural variables from the "egos" provides insight about why and for whom certain types of antismoking messages may be more or less effective. Second, combining tools from natural language processing with neuroimaging reveals mechanisms involved in successful message propagation, and suggests links from microscopic to macroscopic scales.
ISSN:0002-7162
1552-3349
DOI:10.1177/0002716215569446