Agent-Based Modelling (ABM)
Agent-based models (ABM) are computer simulations used to study the interactions between individuals, things, places, and time. They combine elements of game theory, complex systems, emergence, computational sociology, multi-agent systems, and evolutionary programming.
An ABM is a stochastic computational model for simulating the actions and interactions of autonomous agents (individuals -often people in epidemiology- or entities such as organizations or groups) in order to understand the behavior of a system and what governs its outcomes.
The model contains three main components: 1) the agents, 2) the environment and 3) the interactions.
The agents are programmed to behave and interact with other agents in a spatial environment or a social network. As a result, these interactions produce emergent effects that may differ from effects of individual agents.
