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people choose to do. Individual elemenls are nol evi- dent, and many combinations of elements may come together at anyone poinl in time 10 affecl each other. Sociological measurement has been entirely too gross to measure these conditions. It is probable that some subtle factors are stronger than others and function as gatekeepers and regulators, or provide Ihe means for predicting behavior, or cause an ordering of actions when the gatekeepers combine with olher elemenls. In the process of developing the steps and elements into a functional model, some mechanisms were dis- covered to mathematize and standardize some of these causal interactional behavior factors in ways Ihal add to the conceptual refinement of element measurement. ment. From the slandpoint of sociological theory, the sociological decision system in Ihis model has both slructural and interaclional elemenls briefly outlined as follows: A. Struclural elements of the system: 1. There are numerous organized systems that are interacting in the total process as subsyslems as well as the public which functions as a general system in terms of normative behavior and in re- lation 10 rating activily. 2. The conceptual model has several sub- parts and a feedback system. a. The model has six stages in a linear flow system. b. The social structures within each stage are arranged in a logical se. quence in relation to the process. B. Inleraction elements of Ihe syslem: I. The people impact the system with their own subjective values which be- come effect factors. These factors are pari of the individual's behavior sys- lem, but may also become group be- havior patterns when many have an at- titude in common. 2. Several basic elements are introduced into the model as implementing mech- anisms. These effect factors Ihat can be mathematically modeled for simu- lation and sensitivity analysis purposes are: 3. Distortion Factors, which account for the difference between percep- tion and reality. b. Imporlance Faclors, which input the degree of importance or strength of feeling of those invoived. c. Acceptance Functions, a judgment decision of the worth of a specific characteristic of a proposal. An im- portance Faclor combined with an important characteristic of a pro- posal results in an Acceplance Func- tion. d. Expansion Effect, where interest or concern moves from a latent state reflecting low concern or unimpor- tance to a slate of high importance and action. e. Threshold Level, the level of con- cern necessary to trigger the expan- sion effecl specified as a minimum level of the Acceptance Function. These interaction elements require subjective val- ue involvement of the participants in the syslem. The concepts outlined are necessary 1.0 under- stand t..'>e conception of the tolal decision process. They function in the model as implemenling elements. They are connectors at important junctures in the pro- cess. They provide explanatory values for subjeclive causalities that have not been accounted for before. The concepts are defined and discussed in relation 10 how Ihey work in the modeling scheme. Importance Factors An "Imporlance Faclor" (IF) is the degree of importance placed on a characteristic or feature of a proposed flood control program. The model reacts to Importance Faclors for the seven Iypes of impor- tant considerations or variables discussed earlier; flood control ability, cost, aesthetics, recreation, ecology, acceptance by other agencies, and acceptance by relevant populations. The imporlance of a given variable depends on the characteristics of Ihe group reacting to Ihe fiood control program. Different groups may have different inlerpreta- tions of the importance associated with these variables. For example, some agencies may feel aesthetic or recreational values have secondary importance when compared with others such as flood control or eco- nomic considerations. If the attitudes of the public are important to a decision-making agency, the agen- cy can be greatly influenced by public senliment. The reaction, however, depends on the influence and power of the public group involved. If an agency chooses to ignore the desires of a public group, then feedback can result in further public resistance and the agency is staking ils success on the strength of its position as opposed 10 the degree of importance the action has for the public involved. The differences in the ways groups place values on Ihe major variables are conceptualized as differ- ences in the Importance Factor scores used in the mod~ el as multipliers. The numerical value of each IF fac- tor can range from zero upward. The maximum value 51