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Cooperate Or Defect? How an Agent Based Model Simulation on Helping Behavior Can Be an Educational Tool

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Methodologies and Intelligent Systems for Technology Enhanced Learning

Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 292))

Abstract

Over the last years, Agent Based Models (ABMs) have become an important instrument to simulate social complex phenomena. At the same time, they have shown interesting implications for learning activities. To this purpose, we report a simulation on helping behavior carried out by means of an Agent Based Model (ABM) based on four types of different virtual agents: Warm-Glow Cooperators (WG), who give help because it makes them feel better; Gratitude Cooperators (GC), who give help because they previously received help; Cooperators (C), who give help because of both the reasons mentioned above; Defectors (D) who do not give help at all. We explore the pro-social behavior of each type of agents and the system where they live for a certain amount of time in different situations. This specific ABM shows, in the most effective way, why we should increase the level of helping behavior in the population. Furthermore, assuming that giving and receiving help can be both considered positive activities, WG and GC agent strategies should be those who allow to derive the greatest benefit overall. Taking also in account the pedagogical implications of ABMs, the present simulation can be considered as a good instrument to explain dynamics of helping behavior in a virtual society.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, Education, Psychology, University of Verona and Psychology, Lungadige Porta Vittoria 17, 37129, Verona, Italy

    Andrea Ceschi, Riccardo Sartori & Giuseppe Tacconi

  2. CARVET, Center for Action Research in Vocational Education and Training, Lungadige Porta Vittoria 17, 37129, Verona, Italy

    Andrea Ceschi, Riccardo Sartori & Giuseppe Tacconi

  3. Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padova, Italy

    Dorina Hysenbelli

Authors
  1. Andrea Ceschi
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  2. Dorina Hysenbelli
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  3. Riccardo Sartori
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  4. Giuseppe Tacconi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrea Ceschi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electric and Information Engineering, Monteluco di Roio, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy

    Tania Di Mascio

  2. Computer Science Faculty, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy

    Rosella Gennari

  3. Department of Internal Medicine and Public Health, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy

    Pierpaolo Vitorini

  4. Informatics Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Rosa Vicari

  5. University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

    Fernando de la Prieta

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Ceschi, A., Hysenbelli, D., Sartori, R., Tacconi, G. (2014). Cooperate Or Defect? How an Agent Based Model Simulation on Helping Behavior Can Be an Educational Tool. In: Mascio, T., Gennari, R., Vitorini, P., Vicari, R., de la Prieta, F. (eds) Methodologies and Intelligent Systems for Technology Enhanced Learning. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 292. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07698-0_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07698-0_24

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-07697-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-07698-0

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

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