Eponymy and Obliteration by Incorporation: The Case of the "Nash Equilibrium"

[Eugene Garfield]

Eponymy and Obliteration by Incorporation: The Case of the "Nash Equilibrium"

Author(s): McCain, KW (McCain, Katherine W.)
Source: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND 
TECHNOLOGY  Volume: 62  Issue: 7  Pages: 1412-1424  DOI: 
10.1002/asi.21536  Published: JUL 2011  

Abstract: In order to examine the phenomena of eponymy and Obliteration by 
Incorporation at both the aggregate and individual subject level, the literature 
relating to the game-theoretic concept of the Nash Equilibrium was studied 
over the period 1950-2008. Almost 5,300 bibliographic database records for 
publications explicitly citing at least one of two papers by John Nash and/or 
using the phrase "Nash Equilibrium/Nash Equilibria" were retrieved from the Web 
of Science and various subject-related databases. Breadth of influence is 
demonstrated by the wide variety of subject areas in which Nash Equilibrium-
related publications occur, including in the natural and social sciences, 
humanities, law, and medicine. Fifty percent of all items have been published 
since 2002, suggesting that Nash's papers have experienced "delayed 
recognition." A degree of Obliteration by Incorporation is observed in that 
implicit citations (use of the phrase without citation) increased over the time 
period studied, although the proportion of all citations that are implicit has 
remained relatively stable during the most recent decade with an annual rate of 
between 60% and 70%; subject areas vary in their level of obliteration.

Language: English
Document Type: Article
KeyWords Plus: CITATION CONTEXT ANALYSIS; SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE; 
SOCIAL-SCIENCE; BIG SCIENCE; GAME-THEORY; PATTERNS; ARTICLES; 
INTERDISCIPLINARITY; DIFFUSION; BIBLIOMETRICS

Addresses: Drexel Univ, Coll Informat Sci & Technol, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA
Reprint Address: McCain, KW (reprint author), Drexel Univ, Coll Informat Sci & 
Technol, 3141 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA

E-mail Address: Kate.McCain at ischool.drexel.edu
ISSN: 1532-2882
URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/asi.21536/abstract