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International Workshop on Multi-Agent Systems and Agent-Based Simulation

MABS 2014: Multi-Agent-Based Simulation XV pp 133–150Cite as

Data Analysis of Social Simulations Outputs - Interpreting the Dispersion of Variables

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 9002))

Abstract

In the domain of social simulation, there are very few papers reporting on the statistical analysis of simulation results, while it is very common in empirical social sciences. The paper advocates the recourse to the statistical analysis of social simulation outputs, as a very efficient way to improve the interpretation of simulation results and so the understanding of the system that is the model’s target. This is illustrated by the study of a simulation model designed to analyze a real case regarding the management of a river in South West of France. Several standard statistics methods are used to shed light on the possible outcomes of the debate between the stakeholders.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    http://soclabproject.wordpress.com.

  2. 2.

    SocLab allows resources to be controlled by several actors but, from the social point of view, each one is the unique performer of his own behavior.

  3. 3.

    Literally “Syndicat Intercommunal d’Aménagement Hydraulique” of the Touch river. It is entrusted by the State with the maintenance of the river for the sake of the riparian proprietors, which own the bank and the bed of the river. See http://www.siah-du-touch.org for more details.

  4. 4.

    See also http://www.nathalievilla.org/soclab.html.

  5. 5.

    The cleverness of actors in the SocLab model is not in question since each of them applies the same learning algorithm to select the state of the resource it controls. The difference in capability of actors results from their constraints to obtain a good level of satisfaction.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IRIT, Université de Toulouse, Manufacture des Tabacs, 21 Allées de Brienne, 31042, Toulouse, France

    Christophe Sibertin-Blanc

  2. SAMM, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, 90 Rue de Tolbiac, 75634, Paris Cedex 13, France

    Nathalie Villa-Vialaneix

  3. INRA, Unité MIAT, BP 52627, 31326, Castanet Tolosan Cedex, France

    Nathalie Villa-Vialaneix

Authors
  1. Christophe Sibertin-Blanc
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  2. Nathalie Villa-Vialaneix
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Correspondence to Christophe Sibertin-Blanc .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Universitat de València, Burjassot-València, Spain

    Francisco Grimaldo

  2. Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom

    Emma Norling

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Sibertin-Blanc, C., Villa-Vialaneix, N. (2015). Data Analysis of Social Simulations Outputs - Interpreting the Dispersion of Variables. In: Grimaldo, F., Norling, E. (eds) Multi-Agent-Based Simulation XV. MABS 2014. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9002. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14627-0_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-14627-0_10

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-14626-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-14627-0

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