Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 11, 2026
09:12
The Resident-intruder Paradigm: A Standardized Test for Aggression, Violence and Social Stress
Published on: July 4, 2013
72.4K
Entropy signatures of interstate aggression on social cohesion dynamics
Jais Adam-Troian1, Nathalie Bauchet2, Arsalane Chouaib Guidoum3
1School of Social Sciences, Heriot-Watt University Dubai, Dubai, UAE.
Royal Society Open Science
|November 14, 2025
Summary
This study analyzed social cohesion in Ukraine using online search data. War phases significantly altered social cohesion complexity, with partial invasion showing the most dysfunction.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Complexity Science
- Psycholinguistics
Background:
- Social cohesion is crucial for societal stability.
- Understanding the impact of warfare on social cohesion is vital.
- Dynamical systems theory offers a framework for analyzing complex societal changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the entropy signatures of different war phases on social cohesion dynamics in Ukraine.
- To quantify social cohesion complexity using psycholinguistic time series data.
- To understand warfare as a systemic shock impacting societal resilience.
Main Methods:
- A systems approach was used to analyze social cohesion.
- Psycholinguistic time series data of online searches for first-person plural pronouns were utilized.
- Sample entropy and refined composite multiscale entropy (RCMSE) were employed to quantify complexity.
Main Results:
- Distinct entropy signatures were observed for different war phases (peace, partial invasion, full invasion).
- Social cohesion entropy decreased under partial invasion, exhibiting more anti-persistent behavior.
- Social cohesion was most dysfunctional during partial invasion, with entropy signatures of full-scale invasion and peace being relatively close.
Conclusions:
- Warfare significantly impacts social cohesion dynamics, acting as a systemic shock.
- Entropy metrics provide insights into the complexity and dysfunction of social cohesion during conflict.
- The methodology offers a framework for monitoring and predicting societal resilience in response to major events.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:21Secondary Motives: Affiliation Motivation and Aggression Motivation
642
Affiliation motivation is the intrinsic desire to connect with others and belong to a social group, which plays a crucial role in forming and maintaining personal relationships. This type of motivation is essential for psychological well-being, as it provides individuals with a sense of community and support. An example of this is a student who joins a study group in order to feel a sense of connection. People with high affiliation motivation actively seek social approval, take satisfaction in...
642
02:12Relationship Formation
45.2K
What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...
45.2K
01:47Aggression
30.1K
Humans engage in aggression when they seek to cause harm or pain to another person. Aggression takes two forms depending on one’s motives: hostile or instrumental. Hostile aggression is motivated by feelings of anger with intent to cause pain; a fight in a bar with a stranger is an example of hostile aggression. In contrast, instrumental aggression is motivated by achieving a goal and does not necessarily involve intent to cause pain (Berkowitz, 1993); a contract killer who murders for...
30.1K
01:26Causes of Similarity-Dissimilarity Effect
245
The similarity-dissimilarity effect, a fundamental concept in social psychology, explains how interpersonal similarities and differences influence attraction and social interactions. This effect is supported by three key psychological perspectives: balance theory, social comparison theory, and consensual validation.Balance Theory and Cognitive ConsistencyBalance theory, developed by Fritz Heider, posits that individuals seek cognitive consistency in their relationships. When two people share...
245
01:19Impact of Groups on Groups
224
Social psychologists analyze how groups influence one another, shaping social structures and interactions through both cooperation and competition. These dynamics manifest in various ways, ranging from economic partnerships to intergroup conflicts that shape societal structures and perceptions.Cooperation and Competition in Intergroup RelationsIntergroup relationships vary across contexts, sometimes fostering cooperation and mutual benefit while at other times leading to conflict and...
224
01:37Social Loafing
38.9K
Another way in which a group presence can affect performance is social loafing—the exertion of less effort by a person working together with a group. Social loafing occurs when our individual performance cannot be evaluated separately from the group. Thus, group performance declines on easy tasks (Karau & Williams, 1993). Essentially individual group members loaf and let other group members pick up the slack. Because each individual’s efforts cannot be evaluated,...
38.9K