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Welcome to Agent-Based Models. Our goal is to use agent-based models to understand the behavior of individuals and populations in social and evolutionary settings. More generally, it is our aim to facilitate the use of agent-based modeling as a general theoretical and methodological tool for analyzing behavior.

This site, as it develops, will become an information hub for agent-based modeling. It will also promote discussion of the methodological and philosophical foundations of agent-based modeling.

Agent-based modeling (ABM) is a style of computational modeling that focuses on modeling individuals, components of individuals, or heterogeneous parts of a complex system.  ABM as a style of computational modeling, requires both mathematical and experimental approaches for its development and application.  There are many resources available for those interested in developing or using ABM.  Good places to start are Scholarpedia and Wikipedia.

Recently, OpenABM Consortium is emerging as an organization of ABM researchers aiming to improve the way ABMs are developed, shared, and utilized.  The Swarm Development Group has similar aims as does this site.  There are also a number on Internet sites that focus on specific applications of ABM (e.g.,  Leigh Tesfatsion’s site on Agent-Based Computational Modeling).  Other organizations, centers and institutes can be found here.  The community of people across disciplines who develop or are using ABM is rapidly growing.  Many of these researchers can be found on this website.

For those interested in applying ABM in their research, there are tutorials that can be found on OpenABM ConsortiumSwarm Development GroupAgent-Based Computational Modeling, and on this website.  There are a number of simulation environments available, which can be found on OpenABM ContortionSwarm Development GroupAgent-Based Computational Modeling, and on this website.  For those interested in watching videos on ABM, this site maintains a list.  An evolving list of journals that publish research involving ABM can be found on this site and the OpenABM Consortium maintains a listing of conferences and workshops related to ABM as does this siteOpenABM Consortium also has a Jobs and Appointments page. OpenABM Consortium maintains a forum for discussion of ABM related research and there are a number of ABM related Blogs.

There are a growing number of fields of research with researchers using ABM and these fields are rapidly expanding.  ABM is finding increasing application in Animal Behavior,Biology/Ecology, and the Social Sciences.  The emerging diversity of uses of ABM, however, can only truly be described by browsing the vast diversity of interests ofResearchers using and developing ABMs.