Social Physics is a new way of understanding human behavior based on analysis of Big Data.
In contemporary society we have access to an incredible array of data on social interaction. This abundance of data provides a social science nirvana which allows us to begin to know ourselves in a way we never could before.
Often described as a computational social scientist, Alex “Sandy” Pentland sees his role as being to “help the birth of the world into a data rich environment.”
His research introduced the modest origins of social physics and how the proliferation of data and innovative statistical methods have allowed the field to thrive.
Pentland’s own experimental trajectory reflects those advances. He describes past experiments which observed small groups of people interacting, measuring body motion signalling using tools such as recorders or wearable badges. Now his work has scaled up to the measurement of entire cities, providing fascinating insights into networks of interactions and their implications. Macro-level research can predict a city’s success by looking at its network of relationships, and can even explain surprising recent political outcomes. Meanwhile, at the micro-level, research within corporations can predict innovation and creativity according to interactions.
He describes how the revolution in technology is facilitating the use of social physics in measuring indicators such as poverty, inequality, and sustainability. This allows us to move beyond limited measures such as census data and GDP. With research showing that development aid works better when measurable, Pentland posits that we can, “through knowledge of ourselves, build a better world.”
Professor Alex Sandy Pentland plays a key role in building the Social Contract 2020.