Nomination for the ignobel! 'Naresh' Narasimhan Sent from my Phone
On 31-Aug-2010, at 13:32, Anish Mohammed <[email protected]> wrote: > > > 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
