Sent from my iPad
On 31 Aug 2010, at 02:16, Udhay Shankar N <[email protected]> wrote: > This early in the morning, I can't tell if this is for real or not. > > Udhay > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: A Mathematical Model of Sentimental Dynamics Accounting for > Marital Dissolution > Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:12:44 -0700 > From: <redacted> > To: undisclosed-recipients:; > > A Mathematical Model of Sentimental Dynamics Accounting for Marital > Dissolution > > Marital dissolution is ubiquitous in western societies. It poses major > scientific and sociological problems both in theoretical and therapeutic > terms. Scholars and therapists agree on the existence of a sort of *second > law of thermodynamics for sentimental relationships*. Effort is required to > sustain them. Love is not enough. > > Building on a simple version of the second law we use optimal control theory > as a novel approach to model sentimental dynamics. Our analysis is > consistent with sociological data. We show that, when both partners have > similar emotional attributes, there is an optimal effort policy yielding a > durable happy union. This policy is prey to structural destabilization > resulting from a combination of two factors: there is an effort gap because > the optimal policy always entails discomfort and there is a tendency to > lower effort to non-sustaining levels due to the instability of the > dynamics. > > These mathematical facts implied by the model unveil an underlying mechanism > that may explain couple disruption in real scenarios. Within this framework > the apparent paradox that a union consistently planned to last forever will > probably break up is explained as a mechanistic consequence of the second > law. > > Marital dissolution is ubiquitous in western societies. It poses major > scientific and sociological problems both in theoretical and therapeutic > terms. Scholars and therapists agree on the existence of a sort of *second > law of thermodynamics for sentimental relationships*. Effort is required to > sustain them. Love is not enough. > Methodology/Principal Findings > > Building on a simple version of the second law we use optimal control theory > as a novel approach to model sentimental dynamics. Our analysis is > consistent with sociological data. We show that, when both partners have > similar emotional attributes, there is an optimal effort policy yielding a > durable happy union. This policy is prey to structural destabilization > resulting from a combination of two factors: there is an effort gap because > the optimal policy always entails discomfort and there is a tendency to > lower effort to non-sustaining levels due to the instability of the > dynamics. > Conclusions/Significance > > These mathematical facts implied by the model unveil an underlying mechanism > that may explain couple disruption in real scenarios. Within this framework > the apparent paradox that a union consistently planned to last forever will > probably break up is explained as a mechanistic consequence of the second > law. > *A "must read": > http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0009881* > Hi udhay, The URL doesn't seem to work :( Anish
