Agent-Based Models in Empirical Social Research

2013/10/24 by Elizabeth Bruch, Jonathan W. Atwell, Jon Atwell · 11 citations
Mathematics · Social Sciences · Medicine · #COVID-19 epidemiological studies #Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies #Mathematical and Theoretical Epidemiology and Ecology Models

paper · doi:10.1177/0049124113506405

Abstract

Agent-based modeling has become increasingly popular in recent years, but there is still no codified set of recommendations or practices for how to use these models within a program of empirical research. This article provides ideas and practical guidelines drawn from sociology, biology, computer science, epidemiology, and statistics. We first discuss the motivations for using agent-based models in both basic science and policy-oriented social research. Next, we provide an overview of methods and strategies for incorporating data on behavior and populations into agent-based models, and review techniques for validating and testing the sensitivity of agent-based models. We close with suggested directions for future research.

Citations

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