Modelling and simulating decision processes of linked lives: An approach based on concurrent processes and stochastic race

TY - JOUR

T1 - Modelling and simulating decision processes of linked lives: An approach based on concurrent processes and stochastic race

AU - Warnke, T.

AU - Reinhardt, O.

AU - Klabunde, A.

AU - Willekens, F.J.

AU - Uhrmacher, A.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - Individuals’ decision processes play a central role in understanding modern migration phenomena and other demographic processes. Their integration into agent-based computational demography depends largely on suitable support by a modelling language. We are developing the Modelling Language for LinkedLives (ML3) to describe the diverse decision processes of linked lives succinctly in continuous time. The context of individuals is modelled by networks the individual is part of, such as family ties and other social networks. Central concepts, such as behaviour conditional on agent attributes, age-dependent behaviour, and stochastic waiting times, are tightly integrated in the language. Thereby, alternative decisions are modelled by concurrent processes that compete by stochastic race. Using a migration model, we demonstrate how this allows for compact description of complex decisions, here based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. We describe the challenges for the simulation algorithm posed by stochastic race between multiple concurrent complex decisions.

AB - Individuals’ decision processes play a central role in understanding modern migration phenomena and other demographic processes. Their integration into agent-based computational demography depends largely on suitable support by a modelling language. We are developing the Modelling Language for LinkedLives (ML3) to describe the diverse decision processes of linked lives succinctly in continuous time. The context of individuals is modelled by networks the individual is part of, such as family ties and other social networks. Central concepts, such as behaviour conditional on agent attributes, age-dependent behaviour, and stochastic waiting times, are tightly integrated in the language. Thereby, alternative decisions are modelled by concurrent processes that compete by stochastic race. Using a migration model, we demonstrate how this allows for compact description of complex decisions, here based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. We describe the challenges for the simulation algorithm posed by stochastic race between multiple concurrent complex decisions.

KW - simulation models

KW - theoretical models

KW - migration

KW - SSCI

U2 - 10.1080/00324728.2017.1380960

DO - 10.1080/00324728.2017.1380960

M3 - Article

SN - 0032-4728

VL - 71

SP - S69-S83

JO - Population Studies: a journal of demography

JF - Population Studies: a journal of demography

IS - S1

ER -