Showing papers in "Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems in 2003"

An Introduction to Agent Based Modelling and Simulation of Social Processes

Abstract: The paper provides an introduction to agent-based modelling and simulation of social processes. Reader is introduced to the worldview underlying agent-based models, some basic terminology, basic properties of agent-based models, as well as to what one can and what cannot expect from such models, particularly when they are applied to social-scientific investigation. Special attention is given to the issues of validation.

An overview of databases on conflicts and political crises

Abstract: SUMMARY This paper provides an overview of important projects concerned with the development of databases on conflicts, crises and similar political events and those dealing with the structural characteristics of nation-states. The various databases are usually differently conceptualized, even when they describe the same phenomenon. Different conceptualization of the problem leads to distinct operational definitions, and eventually to divergent coding rules. Therefore, the researcher intending to use the existing data for statistical analysis or modelling social processes can become lost browsing the multitude of diverse datasets. In this overview, the short descriptions of important data-gathering projects include information on the institutions where the projects are placed, their principal investigators, time span and number of cases they include. Finally, all databases are classified according to their focus (event/structure) and their level (nation-state/international relations) of observation.

Notion of mediators in human interaction

Abstract: Many types of human interaction are mediated processes. However, regarding the details of human description, the mediating unit structure and dynamics is not developed appropriately. The explicit concentration on mediators contributes to understanding of interplay between value sets governing interaction, interaction roles in regular activities and interaction design for purpose. This article is a contribution to development of a concept of mediated human interaction through structuring of mediated elements. The origin of mediators is the environment, here interpreted as a collection of excitations. Among the excitations, the extracted subgroups are elementary environment excitations (EEE) - which have recognised functions in a local value set, and exchangeable EEEs or mediators - which are used regularly in human interaction. The collection of relations of a human and an EEE is called a vertex. The vertex combines initial and final human states with the EEE. The vertex formally expresses probability that a particular combination of a human state and an EEE brings about a given final human state. Combination of vertices brings about general human-environment and human-human interaction.

Determination of Free Energies on a Simulation Model

Abstract: Social free energy was recently introduced as a measure of social action obtainable from a given social system, without changes in its structure. In this article its relation with physical free energy for a toy-model of interacting agents is analysed. Values of the social and physical free energies are equivalent for the case of quasi-stationary state of toy-model of interacting agents. Classification-ACM-1998: J.4 [Computer Applications]; Social and behavioral sciences - Sociology