Social simulationSocial simulation is a research field that applies computational methods to study issues in the social sciences. The issues explored include problems in computational law, psychology, organizational behavior, sociology, political science, economics, anthropology, geography, engineering, archaeology and linguistics . Social simulation aims to cross the gap between the descriptive approach used in the social sciences and the formal approach used in the natural sciences, by moving the focus on the processes/mechanisms/behaviors that build the social reality.
Agent-based modelAn agent-based model (ABM) is a computational model for simulating the actions and interactions of autonomous agents (both individual or collective entities such as organizations or groups) in order to understand the behavior of a system and what governs its outcomes. It combines elements of game theory, complex systems, emergence, computational sociology, multi-agent systems, and evolutionary programming. Monte Carlo methods are used to understand the stochasticity of these models.
Sociologie informatiqueLa sociologie informatique ou sociologie computationnelle (en anglais computational sociology) est une branche de la sociologie qui consiste à utiliser le calcul pour analyser des phénomènes sociaux. Il s'agit d'utiliser la technique de la simulation sur ordinateur pour la construction de modèles sociaux. Cela implique un certain arrangement des agents sociaux, et des interactions entre eux. Enfin, on examine l'effet de ces interactions sur un agrégat social.
Social complexityIn sociology, social complexity is a conceptual framework used in the analysis of society. In the sciences, contemporary definitions of complexity are found in systems theory, wherein the phenomenon being studied has many parts and many possible arrangements of the parts; simultaneously, what is complex and what is simple are relative and change in time. Contemporary usage of the term complexity specifically refers to sociologic theories of society as a complex adaptive system, however, social complexity and its emergent properties are recurring subjects throughout the historical development of social philosophy and the study of social change.
Système multi-agentsEn informatique, un système multi-agent (SMA) est un système composé d'un ensemble d'agents (un processus, un robot, un être humain, une fourmi etc.), actifs dans un certain environnement et interagissant selon certaines règles. Un agent est une entité caractérisée par le fait qu'elle est, au moins partiellement, autonome, ce qui exclut un pilotage centralisé du système global.