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1.1.2 Data Mining and Neuro-fuzzy System
An Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Neural Network (IT2FNN)
are used for automatically generate the necessary
rules. The phase of data mining using Interval Type-2
Fuzzy Logic Systems (IT2FLS) (Castillo et al., 2010;
Castro et al., 2010) becomes complicated, as there
are enough rules to determine which variables one
should take into account. The search method of back-
propagation and hybrid learning (BP+RLS) is more
efficient in other methods, such as genetic algorithms
(Rantala and Koivisto, 2002; Castro et al., 2008).
Since the IT2FNN method seems to produce more
accurate models with fewer rules is widely used as a
numerical method to minimize an objective function
in a multidimensional space, find the approximate
global optimal solution to a problem with N variables,
which minimize the function varies smoothly (Ste-
fanescu, 2007).
With the application of this grouping algorithm we
obtain the rules, the agent receives input data from its
environment and choose an action in an autonomous
and flexible way to fulfill its function (Peng et al.,
2008).
1.2 Religious Affiliation
When literature talks about of religious change, usu-
ally refers to the attachment or religion affiliation
(Ortiz, 2006). Although some authors have argued
that the concept can not be limited to this dimension,
membership is one of the most important variables to
study the religious phenomena (Fortuny, 1999).
The religious field is conformed by several dy-
namics systems. For example, we can identify
some organizational entities: institutional, socio-
demographic groups and individual.
Within these multiple dimensions interrelated
complex processes are occurring, such changes of al-
legiance, change in commitment and participation,
socialization and subjectivity of standards (through
doctrines, values, practices), reformulation and af-
firming traditions. These multiple dimensions shape
the religious field, and generically is known as reli-
gious change.
1.2.1 Religious Affiliation in M
´
exico
In M
´
exico, religious affiliation has undergone ma-
jor changes since the 1950’s until today. Based on
population censuses, the growth rates of the evangeli-
cal population has been higher than the total Catholic
population
1
(Jaimes-Mart
´
ınez, 2007). Baja California
has one of the percentages of highest evangelical pop-
ulation of Northern states
2
.
2 CASE OF STUDY
Tijuana is a border city located in north-western of
M
´
exico. Belongs to the state of Baja California, and
is one of the fastest growing city in the country due
to high migration rates. The population is mainly
composed by migrants from southern of the country.
They came to the border to further job opportunities,
or looking to migrate to the United States, staying in
the city long time.
2.1 Tijuana’s Multi-cultural and
Religious Complexity
Tijuana is an example of social and religious change.
Its boundary condition has been one factor that has
become a city in full development and expansion, not
only by the strength of the Southern California econ-
omy, but by the early efforts to boost manufacturing
by the federal government.
These factors, combined with growing internal
and international migration, have transformed a town
of Tijuana from a town with 12,181 inhabitants in
1930 to one with 1.2 million in 2000
3
(Alegr
´
ıa and
Ord
´
onez, 2002). It was so from NAFTA, Tijuana was
consolidated as a major call centres maquiladora in-
dustry, with an evident increase in employment and
production, but not productivity or living standards
and welfare (Arias, 2008).
According to some authors, the economic balance,
social and cultural development of these global pro-
cesses, regional and local has had complex effects on
Tijuana’s society, where stands the reconfiguration of
identities and new forms of social and cultural repro-
duction.
In this sense, the religious sphere in Tijuana has
a great religious diversification as a result of differ-
ent waves of migration that have shaped their society.
1
The evangelical population has experienced rates of
8.90, between 1970 and 1980, while the total population
was 3.16. Although at present growth rate 2.46 points, it is
still higher than that of the population is Catholic and total
population.
2
Baja California has 7.90% and evangelical population,
surpassed only by one of the first entities to which the
Protestant missionaries arrived in the nineteenth century,
Tamaulipas, to 8.65%. Nationally, the percentage of evan-
gelicals is 5.20%.
3
Tito Alegr
´
ıa and Gerardo Ord
´
o
˜
nez consider the growth
process of Tijuana covers from 1930 to 2000, thanks mainly
to the economic expansion of Southern California.
ADistributedAgencyMethodologyappliedtoComplexSocialSystems-TowardsaMulti-dimensionalModelofthe
ReligiousAffiliationPreference
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