Methodological Individualism in Human Ecology.

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  • MOJI Kazuhiko
    Department of Biological Anthropology, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK, and Nagasaki University School of Allied Medical Science
  • YOSHIMI Itsuro
    Department of Public Health, Nagasaki University School of Medicine
  • Nakazawa Minato
    Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Uniuersity of Tokyo
  • OHTSUKA Ryutaro
    Department of Human Ecology, School of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Uniuersity of Tokyo

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Other Title
  • 人類生態学における方法論的個体主義
  • ジンルイ セイタイガク ニ オケル ホウホウロンテキ コタイ シュギ

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This paper introduces the approach based on methodological individualism and progressive contextualization in human ecology and ecological anthropology. Studies of ecology and human ecology can be defined as fields of science to understand the dynamics of groups of living organisms in relation with their environment. Although it is, their methodology needs not to be always holistic or group-oriented. It is often simply difficult or less useful to define an analytical unit such as a local ecosystem. It is especially the case in human ecology, where people act beyondthe border of the local ecosystem and where the impacts of human behaviour cannot be contained within the local ecosystem. In such cases, it is rather effective to study behaviour of an individual trying to understand the causes and consequences of the behaviour in the context in which the behaviour occurred. Researchers will get information for explaining the group dynamics by repeating this procedure progressively. For example, observation of behaviour of anindividual is used methodologically for understanding the behaviour of the group of which the individual is a member. This approach became more popular in ecology and has introduced into human ecology by Vayda. The time-saving spot-check method in time allocation studies offers a good example of an entry point of this approach, as shown in this paper . The approach shares some characteristics with studies based on the individual based model, which is a more recently-progressed computer-oriented method in theoretical ecology. Collecting empirical data through field studies based on methodological individualism and progressive contextualization and incorporating them into analytical models will promote further understanding in human ecology.

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