The Causal Relation between War and Scientific Discovery

An Exploratory Cross-National Analysis

Bibliographic Data

ID7842844
AuthorsDean K Simonton (0000-0002-7709-7977, University of California, Davis, corresponding author)
Year1976
Volume7
Issue2
Pages133-144
Publication date1976-06-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Cross-Cultural Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-0221 • E-ISSN: 1552-5422
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/002202217672002
OpenAlexW2139772210
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited22

Using cross-lagged correlation analyses as the basis for causal inference, the relationship between war and scientific discovery and invention was explored in seven European nations. Measures of war duration and scientific productivity were generated using 14 or 16 quarter-century periods, or "generations," as the unit of analysis within each nation. The analyses indicated statistically significant associations for England and Russia (war encouraging science in the next generation), Spain (war discouraging science in the next generation), Holland (science discouraging war in the next generation), and France (war and science correlating positively in the same generation), whereas Germany and Italy exhibited no significant relationships. Discussion of the causal inconsistencies led to the suggestion that future research separately analyze different scientific disciplines and their respective relations to various categories of war

Causal inference · Econometrics · Economic growth · Economics · Political science · Productivity · Quarter (Canadian coin · Relation (database · Spanish Civil War · World War II · Computer Science · History · Law · Philosophy and History of Science · scientometrics and bibliometrics research

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub