Mechanical modeling of friction phenomena in social systems based on friction force

Friction is not an inherent attribute in natural science. Indeed, there are various friction phenomena present in social systems. In this study, the researchers developed the general concept of social friction and distinguished the two-dimensional structure of explicit-implicit social friction phenomena. Specifically, explicit friction includes institutional friction, economic friction, behavioral friction, and migration friction. Implicit friction includes cultural friction, cognitive friction, interpersonal friction, technological friction, and information friction. Physical theories such as friction force, classical mechanics, and functional principles have been introduced to construct a social friction force model. This paper describes the emergence and evolution of social friction phenomena from the mechanics perspective and clarifies the various characteristics of social friction force in different areas. This study also provides a new theoretical perspective for examining social friction phenomena and adds innovative content to intersection studies in physics and the social sciences.

Yanqing Wang, Hong Chen, Ruyin Long, Xiao Gu