We are planning sessions on the above special focus, and we encourage submissions around this theme. We seek to understand and analyze the changes taking place in the world, especially those following the tragic events of September 11th 2001, and to point up the relevance of chaos and complexity science to the emerging world order. Terrorism and its concomitants have presented a challenge to our established conceptualizations of the world, a challenge that we believe chaos theory and related disciplines can help to answer. The task of understanding will involve many perspectives including psychological, social, economic and organizational issues. Analysis may take many forms: political science, financial modeling, the psychology of extremism and the social organization of terror among them. Pertinent research issues include the modeling of belief systems, communication, social organization, management structures and methodological issues such as data acquisition, validity and analysis.

Alongside this special focus we will as usual be welcoming contributions in all other broad areas of research and practice in chaos science.

Following our success in previous years, the conference will also have two to three guest speakers (soon to be named.) We also strongly encourage collections of individuals to propose symposia that combine individual presentations with group and roundtable discussion.

PRECONFERENCE WORKSHOPS—AUGUST 1

Nonlinear Dynamics and Psychotherapy: Some Current Views--Terry Marks-Tarlow, Susan Mirow, Bob Porter, & Franco F. Orsucci

The focus of this workshop is the use of nonlinear principles in psychodiagnosis and psychotherapy. A number of "nonlinear psychodynamic" approaches will be discussed, including those with psychophysiological, interpersonal, and intrapsychic roots. Examples from the literature, as well as from the practice of the workshop coordinators will be provided. The organizers hope to make this a practically useful as well as generally informative workshop, and encourage participation by anyone interested in these exciting new developments in psychotherapy theory and practice. To the extent possible, this workshop will tie-in with a symposium and paper-session on the same topic planned for the conference itself. People with papers they think might fit with the theme are encouraged to contact Bob Porter (rjporter@mindspring.com) to discuss how they might wish to participate.

Terry Marks-Tarlow, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist from Santa Monica, CA. She is also affiliated with the Center for Creativity Research there. Susan Mirow, M.D., Ph.D., is on the faculty of the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. Robert J. Porter, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist from Tampa, FL. and professor emeritus from the University of New Orleans. Franco F. Orsucci, MD, PhD is a psychiatrist with public and private practice, and is Director of the Institute for Complexity Studies, Rome, Italy.

Simulation of Models, Research Design, & Data Analysis in Nonlinear Research--Fred Abraham

This workshop will concentrate on using a few basic computer programs for the simulation of models (Berkeley Madonna) and for data analysis in nonlinear work (Santis), and possibly others. The calibration of analytic techniques includes the exploration of parameters of analysis, the use of Monte Carlo methods, and the running of known models. Analyses will include dimensional analysis, attractor reconstruction, and recurrence plots. This is a not so tough intermediate level, and does not require much mathematical background. It will be almost entirely done via computer exercises. A basic introduction to dynamics is assumed, similar to parts I, II, & III of the introductory workshop given at the SCTPLS's 11th annul convention last year [basic dynamics workshop 2001 outline] or to those found in Abraham, Abraham, & Shaw (1990), Abraham & Gilgen (1995), or other papers of mine or R.H. Abraham's books on visual dynamics.

Fred Abraham earned degrees and postdocs at Dartmouth, University of Michigan, Indiana University, UCLA, & UCSanDiego, and has held faculty posts at San Diego State College, The Neuropsychiatric and Brain Research Institutes at UCLA, and special fellowships at UC Irvine and the Marine Biology Laboratory of the University of Washington, and has had adjunct faculty posts at the University of Vermont and Silliman University in the Philippines. He is co-founder of the Winter Conference of Brain Research and the Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology and the Life Sciences, and co-author of two books, A Visual Introduction to Dynamical Systems Theory and Chaos Theory for Psychology, and a CD on introductory concepts of dynamics, and has lectured extensively around the world, from Moscow to Beijing. He is active in human rights and conservation groups, and in music, skiing, and kayaking.

Organizational Behavior: Managing Emergent Phenomena--Steve Guastello

Organizational science has been transformed by concepts from nonlinear dynamical systems theory, especially where self-organization processes are involved. This workshop explores the uses of nonlinear theory and empirical research for practical problems in personnel selection, creative problem solving, organizational change, group coordination, leadership emergence, behavior in hierarchies, forecasting of dynamical system behavior, and safety in complex systems. Program will emphasize differences between conventional and nonlinear approaches to similar problems with regard to strategy formation, inducing social change, and producing statistically-informed decisions.

Stephen J. Guastello, Ph.D. is professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology and Human Factors Engineering at Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA. He is the author of "Managing Emergent Phenomena" (2002, Publ. Erlbaum), "Chaos, Catastrophe, and Human Affairs" (1995, Publ. Erlbaum) and numerous articles and book chapters on topics related to nonlinear dynamics, organizational psychology, ergonomics, and artificial intelligence.

SCHEDULED KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Stephen Guerin—BiosGroup

Do All Ecological Agents Cycle to Work?

BiosGroup is currently researching in silico- ecologies of dynamical systems that reproduce and perform at least one thermodynamical work cycle. These systems, dubbed "Autonomous Agents" by BiosGroup's Chief Scientific Officer, Stuart Kauffman, offer a tentative answer to the question "What must the physical system be, such that it can act on its own behalf?" An overview of Autonomous Agents will be presented along with a few sample BiosGroup client projects.

BiosGroup (www.biosgroup.com) is a Santa Fe-based consulting and software development company using the emerging science of complexity to approach social and business problems. In its 5 year history, BiosGroup has delivered over 60 complexity-based projects to Fortune 100 firms and government agencies.

Stephen Guerin is a Senior Software Developer at BiosGroup. He is primarily focused on the design and visualization of self-organizing peer-peer networks. In addition to his work on client projects, Stephen is a member of BiosGroup's core research group. He has a strong interest in the potential use of ecological psychology as a theoretical foundation for Agent Based Modeling and Autonomous Agents. For 10 years prior to joining BiosGroup, Stephen was the president of Redfish Group, a small Internet and interactive media consulting firm based in Beijing, China.

James Grigsby--University of Colorado Health Sciences Center

Jim Grigsby, PhD, is a cognitive neuroscientist and health services researcher at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, where he is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics. A recovering clinical neuropsychologist, his current research interests include the neuropsychological basis of the capacity for behavioral self-regulation, the influence of sex hormones on cognitive functioning, and the characterization of a novel neurodegenerative phenotype affecting carriers of fragile X syndrome. He is the author, with David Stevens, PhD, of the book Neurodynamics of Personality.

And a special tribute to…

Robert Gregson

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Note extra day, Thursday, has been added this year as voted by members.

August 1 (Thursday) Workshops; Registration.

August 2 (Friday) Conference Day 1, Opening Ceremonies;

Plenary Address

August 3 (Saturday) Conference Day 2, Banquet.

August 4 (Sunday) Conference Day 3, Business Meeting

FRIDAY, May 17, 2002 SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACTS

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS

Submissions should include the title of the presentation, the names and affiliations of all authors, and a SHORT abstract (150 –250 words).

All abstracts MUST be submitted in publishable, electronic form, either as ASCII email enclosures or as WORD or WORDPERFECT attachments. Please facilitate review of your abstract by observing the following:

1. DO NOT include diagrams, graphics, or special fonts, as these cannot be printed in the program.

2. If you are using WORD or WORDPERFECT, PLEASE AVOID submissions with hard carriage returns at the end of lines in the body of the abstract (We will have to remove them manually, one at a time!). Use returns only at paragraph breaks.

3. INCLUDE your address, phone/fax number, and email address for notification regarding the status of your submission.

PLEASE INCLUDE notation of any special audio or visual needs. Standard overhead projectors will be available. Unusual equipment is difficult and expensive to obtain, so review your needs carefully.

PLEASE USE the sample, below, as a guide.

PLEASE avoid special formatting, extensive reference lists, etc. ALL abstracts will be converted to the form and format shown in the sample before they are published on the web site and in the Conference Program.

PLEASE, for Symposia or Roundtables, identify ALL scheduled speakers. The abstract for these events may be up to 500 words and should reflect the content of EACH the speaker’s contribution.

PLEASE, remember that single papers allotted time will be, in total, 30 minutes, and Symposia and Roundtables will be limited to 90 minutes. Please plan presentations accordingly. Note: Our meetings have been growing in submissions. Times will be shortened, if necessary, to accommodate excess, on-time submissions. Late submissions will NOT be accepted.

SAMPLE ABSTRACT SUBMISSION

TITLE: Applications of “chaos theory” in the study of really interesting stuff.

AUTHORS & AFFILIATIONS: A. Tractor, Department of Interesting Stuff University of Everything, City, Country, Postal Code.

And L. Sighcle, Department of Related Stuff, Research Place, City, Country, Postal Code.

ABSTRACT: We report results of a two-year study of the fluctuations in several interesting variables. Of particular interest are the relation between several of the variables and several of the others. Our analysis suggests that the relation of variables may be understood as reflecting the operation of a nonlinear, complex system. Several suggestions about the dynamics of this system as well as implications for further study will be discussed. (Research supported, in part, by the National Institute of Interesting Stuff).

CONTACT INFORMATION Lymet Sighcle, Ph.D., Department of Related Stuff, Research Place City/State, Country, Postal Code. Voice phone: 999-999-9999, Ext. 99; email: lsighcle@researchplace.com

AUDIO VISUAL NEEDS: VHS Videotape

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

The deadline for submission of abstracts is:

Friday, May 17, 2002.

SUBMIT ABSTRACTS, ELECTRONICALLY, TO:

dick.bird@unn.ac.uk

Please Remember that your abstract can be most easily and accurately processed if you send them in plain text, or WORD, or WORDPERFECT formats, without special formatting and without carriage returns in the body of the abstract. PLEASE see Instructions, and SAMPLE ABSTRACT above.

· You will be notified when your abstract is received. Responses regarding abstracts acceptance will be made via email on or before May 31, 2002. If you are not notified by May 31, or if you have any questions, please contact Dick Bird at above email address.

A list of accepted Abstract Titles and Presenters is scheduled to be available on the SCTPLS webpage by May 31.

A Schedule of Presentation days and times, with Abstracts, will be available on the SCTPLS webpage by June 9. A printed program will be distributed at the conference.

IMPORTANT: ALL authors of accepted abstracts are expected to complete their registration by July 1, 2002. Authors who fail to do so will be deleted from the program in order to reflect more accurately actual attendance and presentation.

REGISTRATION MATERIAL WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT (April) NEWSLETTER and will be available on the Society Webpage.

The SCTPLS webpage is located at: http://www.societyforchaostheory.org

LOCATION AND ACCOMMODATIONS

The 12^th annual international conference of the Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology & Life Sciences will be held at Portland State University, Portland, Oregon (USA). The Smith Conference Center is a focal point of the campus. Lodging for the conference has been arranged with the DAYS INN, which is located at a brisk walk from campus. Comfortable rooms will start at $89 and include access to indoor and outdoor swimming pools.

REGISTRATION FEES

The early registration fees for this conference will be US $145 for regular members, $100 for students, and $200 for non-members until July 20, 2002. After July 20, the on-site registration rates of $170/125/225 will apply. The banquet dinner on Saturday August 3 and refreshments during the conference are included with your registration. Registration cancellations are fully refundable until July 8, and 50% refundable after that; memberships are not refundable.

PUBLICATION OPPORTUNITY

All presenting conferees are further invited to prepare their papers for review and possible publication in the Society’s research journal Nonlinear Dynamics, Psychology, and Life Sciences. NDPLS is peer-reviewed and abstracted in PsycInfo (Psychological Abstracts), Medline (Index Medicus), and JEL/Econlit. Regarding format, NDPLS uses American Psychological Association (APA) style. A concise style guide is available on the SCTPLS web site; click JOURNAL on the home page, then Instructions for Authors. All SCTPLS members received NDPLS as a benefit of membership.

Portland, OR, USA

THIS YEAR’S CONFERENCE SPECIAL FOCUS

Chaos and Complexity in a Changing World