Sequence Analysis and Optimal Matching Methods in Sociology

Abstract

The authors review all known studies applying optimal matching or alignment (OM) techniques to social science sequence data. Issues of data, coding, temporality, cost setting/algorithm design, and analytic strategies are considered, and substantive findings are reviewed. The authors conclude that OM techniques have produced interesting results in a wide variety of areas, the most promising being studies of careers and of sequentially organized cultural artifacts.