Method, Theory, and Multi-Agent Artificial Intelligence: Creating computer models of complex social interaction

The construction of computer models is becoming an increasingly useful and popular way of testing theories in the cognitive sciences. This paper will present a brief overview of the methods available for constructing and testing computer models of social phenomena such as religious beliefs and behav...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal for the cognitive science of religion
Main Author: Lane, Justin E. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Equinox Publ. [2013]
In: Journal for the cognitive science of religion
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Datenmodellierung / Multiagent systems / Artificial intelligence / Social behavior / Kognitive Religionswissenschaft
IxTheo Classification:AE Psychology of religion
ZA Social sciences
ZG Media studies; Digital media; Communication studies
Further subjects:B Cognitive Science
B agent based modeling
B Social Psychology
Online Access: Volltext (Resolving-System)
Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:The construction of computer models is becoming an increasingly useful and popular way of testing theories in the cognitive sciences. This paper will present a brief overview of the methods available for constructing and testing computer models of social phenomena such as religious beliefs and behaviors. It will focus on the importance of theoretical continuity and data replication in computer modelling while negotiating the relationship between specificity and ecological validity when models are extended into novel contexts. This paper will argue that computer modeling is an important supplement to the methodological toolbox of cognitive scientists interested in human social phenomena. However, this is only the case if developers pay close attention to research methods and theories and if the method of a model's development is appropriate for the target phenomenon (Sun, 2006). It concludes that multi-agent AI models are the most appropriate computational tool for the study of complex social phenomena.
ISSN:2049-7563
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal for the cognitive science of religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1558/jcsr.v1i2.161