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<br />ABSTRACT <br /> <br />The general goal of this study was to develop a functional model of the sociological and related <br />hydrologic elements in flood control decision-making. Conceptual system models were developed for <br />the hydrologic system and for the sociological system. The sociological variables were idenlified as <br />they related to the steps in the process of the model. Following the conceptual decision process model <br />the social elements of the model were calibrated from dala obtained from field sludies and mathemat- <br />ical equations were developed and tested. Finally simulations of the process were run. After adjust- <br />ments were made the model was found to function. Several methodological factors were devised 10 <br />make the model more realistic and operable. These were: I) Distortion Factors, which are differences <br />that exisl between various actual siluations and perception of these siluations; 2) Importance Factors, <br />which are measures of the relative degrees of importance of each of the major characteristics of a pro- <br />posal such as economic, aesthetic, effectiveness, etc.; 3) Acceptance Functions, dermed as a combina- <br />tion of the perceived value of a characteristic and the Importance Factors; 4) Expansion Effect, which <br />provides for changes in behavior related to values that are in a latent slate of unimportance to a slale <br />of high importance stimulating high level action; 5) Threshold Levels, that determine the poinl between <br />no activity and public action. These concepls permil the model to adjust to changes in social behavior <br />related to the social structure of Ihe decision process. The system provides for the function of social <br />values as they relale 10 the social slructures and the hydrologic components. <br /> <br />KEYWORDS: <br /> <br />Sociological, Hydrologic, Urbanized, Model, Decision Process, Mathematical Model, <br />Conceptual Model, Planning, Flood Control, Regression Analysis, Simulation, Social, <br />Waler, Systems Approach, Land Use, Evaluation. <br /> <br />Hi <br />