Mathematics Commons^™

Towards A Science Of Human Stories: Using Sentiment Analysis And Emotional Arcs To Understand The Building Blocks Of Complex Social Systems, Andrew James Reagan

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

We can leverage data and complex systems science to better understand society and human nature on a population scale through language --- utilizing tools that include sentiment analysis, machine learning, and data visualization.

Data-driven science and the sociotechnical systems that we use every day are enabling a transformation from hypothesis-driven, reductionist methodology to complex systems sciences.

Namely, the emergence and global adoption of social media has rendered possible the real-time estimation of population-scale sentiment, with profound implications for our understanding of human behavior.

Advances in computing power, natural language processing, and digitization of text now make it possible to study …

Disentangling Discourse: Networks, Entropy, And Social Movements, Ryan Gallagher

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Our daily online conversations with friends, family, colleagues, and strangers weave an intricate network of interactions. From these networked discussions emerge themes and topics that transcend the scope of any individual conversation. In turn, these themes direct the discourse of the network and continue to ebb and flow as the interactions between individuals shape the topics themselves. This rich loop between interpersonal conversations and overarching topics is a wonderful example of a complex system: the themes of a discussion are more than just the sum of its parts.

Some of the most socially relevant topics emerging from these online conversations …