On agent-based modeling and computational social science

In the first part of the paper, the field of agent-based modeling (ABM) is discussed focusing on the role of generative theories, aiming at explaining phenomena by growing them. After a brief analysis of the major strengths of the field some crucial weaknesses are analyzed. In particular, the generative power of ABM is found to have been underexploited, as the pressure for simple recipes has prevailed and shadowed the application of rich cognitive models. In the second part of the paper, the renewal of interest for Computational Social Science (CSS) is focused upon, and several of its variants, such as deductive, generative, and complex CSS, are identified and described. In the concluding remarks, an interdisciplinary variant, which takes after ABM, reconciling it with the quantitative one, is proposed as a fundamental requirement for a new program of the CSS. © 2014 Conte and Paolucci.

Publication type: 
Articolo
Author or Creator: 
Conte, Rosaria
Paolucci, Mario
Publisher: 
Frontiers Research Foundation, Switzerland
Source: 
Frontiers in Psychology 5 (2014). doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00668
info:cnr-pdr/source/autori:Conte, Rosaria; Paolucci, Mario/titolo:On agent-based modeling and computational social science/doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00668/rivista:Frontiers in Psychology/anno:2014/pagina_da:/pagina_a:/intervallo_pagine:/volume:5
Date: 
2014
Resource Identifier: 
http://www.cnr.it/prodotto/i/296150
https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00668
info:doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00668
http://www.scopus.com/record/display.url?eid=2-s2.0-84904740998&origin=inward
Language: 
Eng
ISTC Author: 
rosaria.conte's picture
Real name: 
Mario Paolucci's picture
Real name: