Agent-Based Modeling and Sociology: Points of Intersection

Abstract

This article talks about the agent-based modeling as a relatively new approach. This approach based on the ideas of the theory of cellular automata and the game theoretical approach. The agent-based modeling helps us to link micro-level of analysis and macro-level of analysis; moreover, we cannot reduce macro-level phenomena to the set of actions and interactions at the micro-level. Agent-based modeling is a type of simulation which involves conducting an experiment with the model. The agent-based model consists of three components: agents, environment and rules. By setting the characteristics of the agents and their environment and by setting the rules of agents’ actions and interactions we can observe the effects on the macro-level of analysis. Agent-based modeling can be used at least in two cases: when we want to provide a theoretical explanation of social phenomena or when we need to predict this phenomena. But before using agent-based modeling we need to think about the desired level of empirical realism of the model.