Agent-Based and Individual-Based Modeling: A Practical Introduction

by Steven F. Railsback, Volker Grimm

Agent-based modeling is a new technique for understanding how the dynamics of biological, social, and other complex systems arise from the characteristics and behaviors of the agents making up these systems. This innovative textbook gives students and scientists the skills to design, implement, and analyze agent-based models. It starts with the fundamentals of modeling and provides an introduction to NetLogo, an easy-to-use, free, and powerful software platform. Nine chapters then each introduce an important modeling concept and show how to implement it using NetLogo. The book goes on to present strategies for finding the right level of model complexity and developing theory for agent behavior, and for analyzing and learning from models.

Agent-Based and Individual-Based Modeling features concise and accessible text, numerous examples, and exercises using small but scientific models. The emphasis throughout is on analysis--such as software testing, theory development, robustness analysis, and understanding full models--and on design issues like optimizing model structure and finding good parameter values.

Leading universities that have adopted this book

Genres: Science

352 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2011

Reviews

[Franck Chauvel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I am not an expert in agent-based models (ABM), I would recommend to those—like me—who need examples to understand. I liked the mix between conceptual descriptions and the concrete examples (to be implemented on the NetLogo platform). The first and the last parts contains general guidance (what to model, how to proceed, etc.), as opposed to Part II (and also Part III to a lesser extent), which are more about modelling specific types of agent-based model.

[szymborskalyte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. An exceedingly accessible introduction to a method that seems otherwise intimidating to pickup. Primers like this are an enormous service to the academic community. Kudos and thanks for the authors.