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COMPLEXITY SCIENCE
Changing Social States – An Introduction
 In this web site we examine changes in the behavior of social systems.
We begin with the idea that social systems can exist in only one of four states: either one or two types of order, or chaotic, or complex. This idea of states of social behavior is based on a vast amount of work with virtual discrete systems, that is systems generally studied on computers, that are made up of interacting discrete parts. No matter how complicated such discrete systems are they can exist in only one of these four states.
The science of complexity has defined complex systems as systems capable of emergence [more info]. Note that the term 'complex system' refers to a type of system, while 'complex state' refers to one of the four states possible within such a system. A complex system exhibits emergence when it is in the complex state.
 The values of four parameters—diversity, connectedness, interdependence, and adaptability—are the main parameters which establish whether or not a system is a complex system.
All social systems are both discrete and complex systems. Thus, they may exist in any one of the four states, and they are capable of exhibiting emergence when in the complex state.
Sociologists have studied the behaviour of social systems over many decades and have developed definitions of two variables whose relative values can cause a change in social system behaviour. These variables are differentiation and centrality. Differentiation is a measure of the diversity and structure within the system and is related to the same four parameters whose values determine if a system is complex namely diversity, connectedness, interdependence, and adaptability. Centrality is a measure of the variation in the flow of information from outside into the system.
 We show that changes in the state of a social system depend primarily upon changes in the relative values of the two variables of differentiation and centrality.
We then examine how changes in differentiation and centrality can change the state of real social systems such as a small social group, or a business organization, or the styles of art in a social system of artists. In our book we examine how changes in differentiation and centrality can change the state of real social systems such as a small social group, or a business organization, or the styles of art in a social system of artists. In later papers we have studied indigenous social movements and the evolution of jazz music (references in our list of papers).
The idea is that with an understanding of these two variables we can better understand and influence social behaviour.
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