Over on reddit, a commenter said that they once read a "social science study" which showed that people are more likely to rally in support of a cause when there's a common enemy to hate. It supposedly showed how when people were given the opportunity to unite and campaign for a positive cause, they showed little interest; but that the presence of a hostil opponent motivated the group to unite and rally against it. Can anyone think of a study along those lines?
posted by dontjumplarry
on Mar 10, 2013 -
4 answers
How have sociologists and/or economists historically defined or measured "middle class" in the United States or the developed world generally? I mean over the last 100-200 years.
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posted by Wretch729
on Feb 14, 2013 -
6 answers
Help me to philosophically pigeon-hole what I take to be the
methodological views of many professors in my economics department. Then help me to explore that and other pigeon-holes.
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posted by mister_kaupungister
on Dec 1, 2012 -
10 answers
Is there a science of division? (i.e. Models of the phenomenon that communities often split into two blocs with some degree of mutual antagonism. And/or empirical data that such models could be compared against.)
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posted by philipy
on Nov 9, 2012 -
7 answers
New to PhD candidacy and tanking fast - academics of MeFi, help me figure out how to get through this mess.
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posted by SNWidget
on Oct 17, 2012 -
21 answers
Is there an equivalent of "Nature" for the humanities and social sciences? I'm looking for a magazine or blog that curates notable scholarly papers from non-STEM disciplines (philosophy/sociology/psychology/cultural studies/etc) for a wider audience.
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posted by dontjumplarry
on Sep 17, 2012 -
13 answers
I am looking for suggestions on the cheapest way to get bulk (25-100) smart phones (android preferred, but iOS could also work) for an academic research experiment.
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posted by vegetableagony
on Jul 25, 2012 -
7 answers
I'm doing research for an artistic work exploring the theme of suicide, and I seek 1) a particular recent article arguing that life is not worth living and 2) the most provocative, interesting works on suicide from artistic, philosophical, social science, journalistic, religious or medical perspectives.
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posted by reren
on Jun 30, 2012 -
9 answers
Are there any studies that show that couples who have fewer children are able to raise the children they do have better?
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posted by adamdschneider
on May 5, 2012 -
12 answers
Where should I start if I'd like to learn about the social science of friendship?
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posted by abcde
on Apr 17, 2012 -
5 answers
I am applying for my school’s undergraduate honours political science program next semester. The application requires a description of specific interests in and outside of the field, including readings. What should I read that will appeal to my interests and impress the admissions folk?
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posted by Kingsk
on Dec 2, 2011 -
10 answers
What sort of survey are my colleagues planning? It would involve questionnaires dropped off at a variety of businesses (tour agencies and hotels, mostly), aimed at capturing details about their clients. This doesn't seem to fit the examples I see discussed in online resources on survey methods. To top it off, both the time frame and budget are limited. Where can I find best practices for this sort of survey--and how can I determine which best practices should be given highest priority?
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posted by col_pogo
on Oct 14, 2011 -
6 answers
What are the canonical authors / works on design thinking and what books / other resources would you recommend as an intro to design thinking for a social science and policy wonk?
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posted by Apropos of Something
on Aug 8, 2011 -
3 answers
Help me find a quote about how people are reluctant to notice the effects of historical and/or social forces on their lives.
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posted by toomuchkatherine
on Jul 13, 2011 -
9 answers
How do social scientists, psychologists, etc. detect and control for people lying in response to their questionnaires?
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posted by metaBugs
on Jun 29, 2010 -
21 answers
What are the gripping must-reads in scientific sociology? What are sociological studies that really changed how we view certain cultures/groups etc?
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posted by zaebiz
on Jun 6, 2010 -
13 answers
Choosing a bachelor's degree program if I want to be a mediator: social science or sociology (or something else?)
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posted by Danila
on Jun 25, 2009 -
17 answers
Gradschoolfilter (Social Science): Qualitative Comparative Analysis - help a Historian understand this method! Can anyone recommend any good papers?
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posted by Jakob
on May 11, 2009 -
2 answers
OK, so I want to do a content analysis of cult films. Help me operationally define what a cult film is.
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posted by rachelpapers
on May 6, 2009 -
22 answers
Paging ROU_Xenophobe and other applied statistics researchers: Why are people who do a significant amount of applied statistics and statistical computing enrolled in poli sci/sociology grad programs rather than statistics?
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posted by thisjax
on Dec 10, 2008 -
8 answers
What have been the most important books in social science (including psychology, political science, sociology, anthropology, economics, "applied" social sciences like marketing, and so on) of the past 50 years?
posted by Malad
on Jun 3, 2008 -
19 answers
What's some speculative fiction that uses magic or fictional technology to explore psychology, sociology, or political science in a deep way? I'm not as much interested here in fabulous monsters or space operas or even deep thinking about physics -- I'm interested in books that explore the nature of the mind and/or human society by imagining a world that worked differently.
posted by shivohum
on Apr 13, 2008 -
45 answers
What should I be doing to find a job in Calgary's supposedly "hot" economy? I just finished a Master's degree in the social sciences (interdisciplinary, but focused mostly on anthropology of science) and my job hunt has been terribly unsuccessful so far. Are there career opportunities I'm not seeing? Am I out of luck unless I'm an IT person or petroleum engineer?
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posted by mariokrat
on Jul 19, 2007 -
10 answers
