Research on social stability mechanisms based on activation energy and gradual activation reaction theory

Abstract

This paper draws a comparison between social stability and chemical reaction process, and brings forward the concept of "social temperature" and "activation energy of social agent". It is considered that social temperature turns out to be the macro symptom of social average energy, and its unceasing upclimbing roots in the energy accumulation of "inferiorization" process of social system; that "activation energy of social agent" stands for the social energy or temperature where individuals or groups reach the limit of their psychological bearing ability. This paper, basing on above concepts, elaborates on and demonstrates the gradual activation reaction mechanisms of social stability by a lot of concrete examples. It is thought that there is a threshold value for social stability, and the society will be unstable if social temperature goes higher than this value; that the larger the social average activation energy is, the higher the temperature threshold value of social stability will be; and considering that different groups have different activation energy, those fragile groups with low activation energy are often the risk source which might pose a threat to social stability. © 2009 ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering.