Amb motiu del tancament d'estiu, la validació de documents es reprendrà a partir del 28 d'agost de 2026. Disculpeu les molèsties.
Con motivo del cierre de verano, la validación de documentos se reanudará a partir del 28 de agosto de 2026. Disculpad las molestias
Due to the summer closure, document validation will resume starting August 28, 2026. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Files

538767.pdf (929.11 KB)

Document type

Article

Version

Published version

Publication date

2006

All rights reserved

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/34535

Spatial behavior in groups: an agent-based approach

Journal Title

Authors

Director/Tutor

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Related resource

Abstract

We present an agent-based model with the aim of studying how macro-level dynamics of spatial distances among interacting individuals in a closed space emerge from micro-level dyadic and local interactions. Our agents moved on a lattice (referred to as a room) using a model implemented in a computer program called P-Space in order to minimize their dissatisfaction, defined as a function of the discrepancy between the real distance and the ideal, or desired, distance between agents. Ideal distances evolved in accordance with the agent's personal and social space, which changed throughout the dynamics of the interactions among the agents. In the first set of simulations we studied the effects of the parameters of the function that generated ideal distances, and in a second set we explored how group macrolevel behavior depended on model parameters and other variables. We learned that certain parameter values yielded consistent patterns in the agents' personal and social spaces, which in turn led to avoidance and approaching behaviors in the agents. We also found that the spatial behavior of the group of agents as a whole was influenced by the values of the model parameters, as well as by other variables such as the number of agents. Our work demonstrates that the bottom-up approach is a useful way of explaining macro-level spatial behavior. The proposed model is also shown to be a powerful tool for simulating the spatial behavior of groups of interacting individuals.

Subject

Simulació per ordinador, Conducta espacial, Grups socials, Interacció social

Subject (English)

Computer simulation, Spatial behavior, Social groups, Social interaction

Citation

Collections

Articles publicats en revistes (Psicologia Social i Psicologia Quantitativa)

Citation

SALVADOR BELTRÁN, Francesc, SALAS, Laura and QUERA, Vicenç (Quera Jordana). Spatial behavior in groups: an agent-based approach. Jasss-The Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation. 2006. Vol. 9, num. 3. ISSN 1460-7425. [consulted: 16 of August of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/34535

Export metadata

JSON - METS

Share record