Scott Page, Complexity, Social Science and Management professor at the University of Michigan, discusses the value of models and their uses in different disciplines. They explore the complexity of models, the importance of using multiple models to understand complex issues, and the role of models in decision-making. They also discuss problem-solving through game theory principles.
Models offer valuable insights into complex phenomena by providing different perspectives and explanations.
Using multiple models allows researchers to explore diverse causes and perspectives for a comprehensive understanding of complex problems.
Deep dives
The Usefulness of Models in Analyzing Social Interactions and Complex Phenomena
Models, in various forms, play a crucial role in understanding and analyzing social interactions and complex phenomena. Scott Page discusses how models can take the form of verbal descriptions, equations, or even computational simulations. He explains that models, particularly game theoretic models, help describe how actors interact and what their incentives are, allowing researchers to predict and explain outcomes. Models are used for reasoning, designing, explaining, communicating, acting, and exploring. Page emphasizes the value of using multiple models to gain a comprehensive understanding of a particular problem, as different models provide different perspectives and insights.
The Importance of Developing Multiple Models for a Deeper Understanding
Page explains the significance of developing multiple models to gain a deeper understanding of complex problems. Using examples such as COVID, opioid epidemics, and economic inequality, he demonstrates that different models can shed light on different aspects and causes of these issues. For instance, examining inequality requires considering various models, such as winner-take-all models, models based on segregation and race, or models that incorporate political capture. By using multiple models, researchers can explore different causes, examine diverse perspectives, and ultimately arrive at a more comprehensive understanding of complex phenomena.
The Power of Models: Understanding Standing Ovations and Analyzing Gender Differences in Job Acceptance
Page presents two compelling examples that highlight the power of models in understanding real-life situations. He discusses how modeling standing ovations can reveal factors such as individual thresholds, social influence, and audience diversity that contribute to people standing or not. Additionally, he explains how models can help uncover the reasons behind gender differences in job acceptance. By modeling the decision-making process and considering factors like family dynamics and societal norms, a multinational company discovered that women were more likely to turn down job offers when they disrupted their children's education, highlighting the importance of considering various dimensions and perspectives in modeling.
In this episode Scott Page, professor for Complexity, Social Science and Management at the University of Michigan, explains the value of models and their uses in different environments and disciplines including economics and in particular game theory. We talk about what to consider when setting up a model, how models capture "real life" and how to best apply them in a business context using game theory.
Scott Page is professor for Complexity, Social Science and Management at the University of Michigan. In his research he focuses on complex systems, collective intelligence, teams, and political and economic institutions. He is also the author of the book “The Model Thinker: What You Need to Know to Make Data Work For You”, explaining the value of models when it comes to making sense of data and complex phenomena.
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