ASB 591 / CSE 591: Computer Simulation in the Social Sciences

Spring 2006

Professor: Marco Janssen

TTH 3:15 - 4:30

CPCOM 107

[FINAL PROJECTS: OPEN HOUSE MAY 9: 2pm-4pm, Matthews Hall 103]

Course content
Introduction to the use of computer simulation for the study of social phenomena like cooperation, diffusion and foraging. Students will learn the basics of systems dynamics, cellular automata and agent-based models, evolutionary programming, neural networks and network growing models and how these techniques are used to study social systems in ancient and modern times. Further attention is given how to test simulation models and combine them with other (empirical) methods.

Students will work in group projects to apply the techniques to concrete research questions. Example of research questions might relate to:

- what effect the aggregation of settlements in early state development?

- what affect the change in diffusion patterns of products from kin-ship to trade networks?

- why do strangers cooperate on the electronic highway?

- what affects social hierarchies in primate societies?

- why do individuals contribute to open-source software?

- how does stigma affect the spreading of HIV?

- when does polarization of options occur?

- why are bestsellers and blockbusters have the highest consumption in the first week of availability?

The groups will consist of both social science and computer science students and the composition will be based on personal interests.
 
Course format
Lecture, discussion, computer lab, student, group research project

Software