Click on the links below to download the pdfs of the papers presented at the special session on Qual2Rule at the Social Simulation conference in Glasgow.

• Melania Borit, Christopher Frantz and Ruth Meyer Methods for using qualitative data to inform behavioural rules in Agent-Based Modelling: Preliminary results of a Systematic Literature Review SSC2023_paper_23
• Frithjof Stöppler How abstracts concepts come alive: modelling network path dependence with qualitative data SSC2023_paper_105
• Nanda Wijermans, Eva Vriens and Giulia Andrighetto Heterogeneous agent decision-making – an empirically informed approach to behavioural types SSC2023_paper_102
• Lidia Mayangsari, Bhakti S. Onggo and Konstantinos V. Katsikopoulos Simple Heuristics as Mental Model for Staple Food Choice: An ABM Exercise SSC2023_paper_86
• Michelle Alfers and Paola D’Orazio Modeling the Impact of Social and Behavioral Factors on the Spread of Infectious Diseases in a Macro-Financial Agent-Based Model: a Methodological Proposal SSC2023_paper_48
• Jose Padilla and Erika Frydenlund Referencer: A Collaborative Online Space for Multidisciplinary Modeling SSC2023_paper_96
• Rajith Vidanaarachchi, Sangeetha Chandrashekeran, Melissa Kennedy, Jason Thompson and Saman Halgamuge Synthesising an ABM Population Representative of an Indigenous Population: Modelling Science Meets Indigenous Knowledge and Lives SSC2023_paper_110

New book describes using qualitative interviews to inform the design of simulations in criminology – mostly Martin Neumann and Ulf Lotzman’s work.

Publisher’s page for the book: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9781003393207/interpretive-account-agent-based-social-simulation-martin-neumann

ABSTRACT

Using the investigation of criminal culture as an example application, this edited volume presents a novel approach to agent-based simulation: interpretive agent-based social simulation as a methodological and transdisciplinary approach to examining the potential of qualitative data and methods for agent-based modelling (ABM).

Featuring updated articles as well as original chapters which provide a cohesive and novel approach to the digital humanities, the book challenges the common conviction that hermeneutics and simulation are two mutually exclusive ways to understand and explain human behaviour and social change. Exploring how methodology benefits from taking cultural complexities into account and bringing these methods together in an innovative combination of qualitative-hermeneutic and digital techniques, the book unites experts in the field to connect ABM to narrative theories, thereby providing a novel tool for cultural studies.

An innovative methodological contribution to narrative theory, this volume will be of primary benefit to researchers, scholars, and academics in the fields of ABM, hermeneutics, and criminology. The book will also appeal to those working in policing, security, and forensic consultation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

chapter 1|13 pages

Introduction

An interpretive account of an agent-based social simulation

By Martin Neumann

chapter 2|21 pages

Epistemological foundations

By Petra Ahrweiler, Martin Neumann

chapter 3|24 pages

The use of ethnographic social simulation for crime research*

From the field to the model

By Vanessa Dirksen, Martin Neumann, Ulf Lotzmann

chapter 4|23 pages

A framework for simulation in interpretive research*

Growing criminal culture

By Martin Neumann, Ulf Lotzmann

chapter 5|19 pages

Analysis of the breakdown of a criminal network*

Criminal collapse

By Martin Neumann, Ulf Lotzmann

chapter 6|29 pages

A simulation model of intra-organizational conflict regulation in the crime world*

By Ulf Lotzmann, Martin Neumann

chapter 7|23 pages

Hermeneutics of social simulations*

On the interpretation of digitally generated narratives

By Sascha Dickel, Martin Neumann

chapter 8|17 pages

Transdisciplinary reflections

Science in context

By Martin Neumann, Cornelis van Putten

chapter 9|19 pages

On the construction of plausible futures in interpretive agent-based modelling

By Martin Neumann, Vanessa Dirksen, Sascha Dickel

chapter 10|11 pages

Outlook on potential further directions

By Martin Neumann, Bruce Edmonds

We are very pleased to announce the papers for the Qual2Rule special session of Social Simulation 2023 in Glasgow, currently scheduled for Tuesday 5th Sept: 11-13:00.

• Melania Borit, Christopher Frantz and Ruth Meyer — Methods for using qualitative data to inform behavioural rules in Agent-Based Modelling: Preliminary results of a Systematic Literature Review

• Nanda Wijermans, Eva Vriens and Giulia Andrighetto — Heterogeneous agent decision-making – an empirically informed approach to behavioural types

• Frithjof Stöppler — How abstracts concepts come alive: modelling network path dependence with qualitative data

• Lidia Mayangsari, Bhakti S. Onggo and Konstantinos V. Katsikopoulos — Simple Heuristics as Mental Model for Staple Food Choice: An ABM Exercise

• Michelle Alfers and Paola D’Orazio — Modeling the Impact of Social and Behavioral Factors on the Spread of Infectious Diseases in a Macro-Financial Agent-Based Model: a Methodological Proposal

• Jose Padilla and Erika Frydenlund — Referencer: A Collaborative Online Space for Multidisciplinary Modeling

• Rajith Vidanaarachchi, Sangeetha Chandrashekeran, Melissa Kennedy, Jason Thompson and Saman Halgamuge — Synthesising an ABM Population Representative of an Indigenous Population: Modelling Science Meets Indigenous Knowledge and Lives

We look forward to seeing you all there!

If you are working with qualitative data and agent-based modelling, please consider submitting your research (poster, extended abstract, short paper, long paper) to the special track “Using qualitative data to inform behavioural rules in agent-based models”, which is described below the signature and is to be organized during the Social Simulation Conference 2023, 4-8 September, Glasgow, UK.  Important dates: * Submission Deadline: 28 April 2023  12 May * Notification of Acceptance: 16 June 2023 * Final Version Submission: 09 July 2023  * Conference: 4-8th September 2023, Glasgow Description: Many academics consider qualitative evidence (e.g. texts gained from transcribing oral data or observations of people) and quantitative evidence to be incommensurable.  However, agent-based simulations are a possible vehicle for bridging this gap. Narrative textual evidence often gives clues as to the in-context behavior of individuals and is thus a natural source for behaviors to inform the specification of corresponding agent behavior within simulations. The texts will not give a complete picture, but will provide some of “menu” of behaviors people use. During this session we hope to further the understanding of how to improve this. We are particularly interested in accounts of the procedures or structures people used to bridge between qualitative and formal realms based in reported modelling experiences. Thus, those interested to present their work in this session have to make sure that their submission explicitly addresses the use of qualitative data in their modelling endeavour. The session is open to all approaches that seek to move from qualitative evidence towards a simulation in a systematic way. These include, but are not limited to:  * Approaches based in Grounded Theory. * Tools for facilitating such a process. * Participatory processes that result in a simulation. * Frameworks for aiding the analysis of text into rules. * Elicitation techniques that would aid the capture of information in an appropriate structure. * Models and ideas from psychology to aid in the above process. * Insights and tools from Natural Language Processing that may help this process. * Agent architectures that will facilitate the programming of agents from such analyses. * Philosophical or Sociological critiques, pointing out assumptions and dangers. * Examples of where this approach has been tried.

Talking about different paradigms and qualitative validation of social simulation models. At https://rofasss.org/2023/04/18/the-challenge-of-validation/

Edmund Chattoe-Brown, PhD, lecturer, University of Leicester, discusses a case study of residential mobility to illustrate agent-based modelling in mixed methods, including challenges with mixed methods research, the Schelling model, where to begin, practical strategies for, and the applicability of agent-based modelling.

https://methods.sagepub.com/video/agent-based-modelling-as-a-case-study-of-residential-mobility

31.10.2022 Geertje Bekebrede and Igor Nikolic, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management of Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands, “Power of games: the case of Infrarium an experimental game environment”

Video: link

Slides: link

Upcoming seminar (last one on 2022) (PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE IN TIME FROM THE REGULAR HOUR OF THIS SEMINAR SERIES):

December: on Tuesday the 6^th of December, 15:00 CET – César García Díaz, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia – title TBA

04.10.2022 Christopher Frantz and Saba Siddiki– “Institutional Grammar 2.0. Revisiting the institutional grammar to facilitate rigorous institutional analysis”

Video: link

Slides: link

Upcoming seminars (2022) (PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGES IN DATE OR TIME):

November: on MONDAY 31^st of October, 13:00 CET – Geertje Bekebrede and Igor Nikolic, Delft University of Technology – title TBA

December: on Tuesday the 6^th of December, 15:00 CET – César García Díaz, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia – title TBA

06.09.2022 Jakub Bijak, Souhila Belabbas, Martin Hinsch, Ariana Modirrousta-Galian, and Oliver Reinhardt – “Capturing the complexity of human migration: Towards an interdisciplinary model-building process”

Slides: link

Work by Stephanie Dornschneider-Elkink and Bruce Edmonds originating from the Lorentz workshop on Integrating qualitative and quantitative evidence using Social Simulation.

Dornschneider-Elkink, S., & Edmonds, B. (2022). Does Non-violent Repression Have Stronger Dampening Effects than State Violence? Insight from an Emotion-Based Model of Non-violent Dissent. Government and Opposition, 1-23. doi:http://doi.org/10.1017/gov.2022.37

See http://cfpm.org/discussionpapers/286 for more details