Can epidemic models describe the diffusion of topics across disciplines?
Authored by Istvan Z Kiss, Mark Broom, Paul G Craze, Ismael Rafols
Date Published: 2010
DOI: 10.1016/j.joi.2009.08.002
Sponsors:
United States National Science Foundation (NSF)
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Model Documentation:
Other Narrative
Mathematical description
Model Code URLs:
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Abstract
This paper introduces a new approach to describe the spread of research
topics across disciplines using epidemic models. The approach is based
on applying individual-based models from mathematical epidemiology to
the diffusion of a research topic over a contact network that represents
knowledge flows over the map of science-as obtained from citations
between ISI Subject Categories. Using research publications on the
protein class kinesin as a case study, we report a better fit between
model and empirical data when using the citation-based contact network.
Incubation periods on the order of 4-15.5 years support the view that, whilst research topics may grow very quickly, they face difficulties to
overcome disciplinary boundaries. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights
reserved.
Tags
Dynamics
emergence
networks
Map
transmission
Science
Spread