Computers in Behavioral Science. The Computer Simulation of Sociological Surveys

A computer simulation of a sociol'st conducting sample surveys was devised in order to construct a general theoretical framework for the investigation of soc phenomena, to study the implications of any sociol'al theory of surveys, to explore the utility of diff methods of analyzing survey...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behavioral science 1972-09, Vol.17 (5), p.471-480
Main Author: Harper, Dean
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Computer/Computers/Computerization/ Computerized
Simulate/Simulated/Simulation/ Simulator
Survey/Surveys
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:A computer simulation of a sociol'st conducting sample surveys was devised in order to construct a general theoretical framework for the investigation of soc phenomena, to study the implications of any sociol'al theory of surveys, to explore the utility of diff methods of analyzing survey data, to create a Turing process that would generate data such that the sociol'st would not be aware of whether he was working with contrived or real data, & to train graduate sociol students. The model of simulation had 5 components: pop growth & change, sampling, opinion formation, opinion change & opinion measurement. Random error, soc & ecological influence, & measurment error were incorporated into these segments; however, in particular instances of using the simulation these can be included or bypassed. One instance of the use of the simulation, which incorporated random error & measurement error but not influence, revealed that extimates of X's were not altered by error, but that the association between variables was reduced by the presence of error. 3 Figures, 4 Tables. Modified HA.
ISSN:0005-7940