Quantitative analysis of culture using millions of digitized books

Jean Baptiste Michel; Yuan Kui Shen; Aviva Presser Aiden; Adrian Veres; Matthew K. Gray; Joseph P. Pickett; Dale Hoiberg; Dan Clancy; Peter Norvig; Jon Orwant; Steven Pinker; Martin A. Nowak; Erez Lieberman Aiden

doi:10.1126/science.1199644

Quantitative analysis of culture using millions of digitized books

Jean Baptiste Michel
, Yuan Kui Shen
, Aviva Presser Aiden
, Adrian Veres
, Matthew K. Gray
, Joseph P. Pickett
, Dale Hoiberg
, Dan Clancy
, Peter Norvig
, Jon Orwant
, Steven Pinker
, Martin A. Nowak
, Erez Lieberman Aiden

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2240 Scopus citations

Abstract

We constructed a corpus of digitized texts containing about 4% of all books ever printed. Analysis of this corpus enables us to investigate cultural trends quantitatively. We survey the vast terrain of 'culturomics,' focusing on linguistic and cultural phenomena that were reflected in the English language between 1800 and 2000. We show how this approach can provide insights about fields as diverse as lexicography, the evolution of grammar, collective memory, the adoption of technology, the pursuit of fame, censorship, and historical epidemiology. Culturomics extends the boundaries of rigorous quantitative inquiry to a wide array of new phenomena spanning the social sciences and the humanities.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	176-182
Number of pages	7
Journal	Science
Volume	331
Issue number	6014
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1199644
State	Published - Jan 14 2011
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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title = "Quantitative analysis of culture using millions of digitized books",

abstract = "We constructed a corpus of digitized texts containing about 4\% of all books ever printed. Analysis of this corpus enables us to investigate cultural trends quantitatively. We survey the vast terrain of 'culturomics,' focusing on linguistic and cultural phenomena that were reflected in the English language between 1800 and 2000. We show how this approach can provide insights about fields as diverse as lexicography, the evolution of grammar, collective memory, the adoption of technology, the pursuit of fame, censorship, and historical epidemiology. Culturomics extends the boundaries of rigorous quantitative inquiry to a wide array of new phenomena spanning the social sciences and the humanities.",

author = "Michel, \{Jean Baptiste\} and \{Kui Shen\}, Yuan and \{Presser Aiden\}, Aviva and Adrian Veres and Gray, \{Matthew K.\} and Pickett, \{Joseph P.\} and Dale Hoiberg and Dan Clancy and Peter Norvig and Jon Orwant and Steven Pinker and Nowak, \{Martin A.\} and Aiden, \{Erez Lieberman\}",

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AU - Michel, Jean Baptiste

AU - Kui Shen, Yuan

AU - Presser Aiden, Aviva

AU - Veres, Adrian

AU - Gray, Matthew K.

AU - Pickett, Joseph P.

AU - Hoiberg, Dale

AU - Clancy, Dan

AU - Norvig, Peter

AU - Orwant, Jon

AU - Pinker, Steven

AU - Nowak, Martin A.

AU - Aiden, Erez Lieberman

PY - 2011/1/14

Y1 - 2011/1/14

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Quantitative analysis of culture using millions of digitized books

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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