Wellhofer's adaptation of Klingman's suggestion that spatial diffusion be modeled as an autoregressive spatial series is questioned on two counts. First, this approach is inappropriate for most classes of diffusion models, including dendritic diffusion systems. Second, the procedure by which Wellhofer has ordered the observations in his Argentine illustration produces a database that bears almost no resemblance to the underlying pattern of causation he wishes to examine and actually creates an additional source of bias in the analysis.
References
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BERRY, B. (1981) Comparative Urbanization: Divergent Paths in the Twentieth Century. New York: St. Martin's.
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HOYER, R. , L. MAYER, and J. BERND (1977) “Some problems in the validation of mathematical and stochastic models of political phenomena: the case of the Supreme Court.”Amer. J. of Pol. Sci.21 (May): 381-404.
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KLINGMAN, D. (1980) “Temporal and spatial diffusion in comparative analysis of social change.”Amer. Pol. Sci. Rev.74 (March): 123-137.
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WELLHOFER, S. (1989) “The comparative method and the study of development, diffusion and social change.”Comparative Pol. Studies22 (October): 315-342.
