2011/09/30 by Hang-Hyun Jo, Raj Kumar Pan, Kimmo Kaski · 30 citations
Economics, Econometrics and Finance · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Algorithm #Complex Network Analysis Techniques #Complex Systems and Time Series Analysis #Computer network #Computer science #Distribution (mathematics) #Dynamics (music) #Mathematics #Operations research #Opinion Dynamics and Social Influence #Power (physics) #Priority queue #Queue #Queueing theory #State (computer science) #Task (project management) #physics.data-an #physics.soc-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physreve.85.066101
published in Physical Review E 85(6), 066101 (American Physical Society) · 8 pages, 6 figures
arxiv created 2012/05/02 · openalex publication_date 2012/06/04 · arxiv updated 2012/06/05 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Queuing models provide insight into the temporal inhomogeneity of human dynamics, characterized by the broad distribution of waiting times of individuals performing tasks. We theoretically study the queuing model of an agent trying to execute a task of interest, the priority of which may vary with time due to the agent's "state of mind." However, its execution is disrupted by other tasks of random priorities. By considering the priority of the task of interest either decreasing or increasing algebraically in time, we analytically obtain and numerically confirm the bimodal and unimodal waiting time distributions with power-law decaying tails, respectively. These results are also compared to the updating time distribution of papers in arXiv.org and the processing time distribution of papers in Physical Review journals. Our analysis helps to understand human task execution in a more realistic scenario.