Xkraj119

Assignment

• Project name – Event Match-up Dynamics
• Author – Jan Kratochvíl
• Software used – NetLogo 5
• Simulation type – Multi-agent model

About the model

The target of the demonstration is to simulate the match-up process as happens in a closed, limited-time, in-person event, such as a concert or a birthday party.

The basic characteristics of the model are:

• Every population member has two basic preference types – physical attraction and mental compatibility
• Every population member has a specific sex assigned, as well as a sexual preference – heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, asexual
• The model is spatial. Population members interact with the nearest neighbors. After the interaction, they walk randomly until they find another actor.
• The length of interaction between population members (can be zero) is based on their mutual physical attraction
• After the interaction, both members score the other one. The score is a compound of physical attraction index and the mental compatibility index. The longer the interaction is, the more weight does the mental compatibility carries
• The resulting score is a basis for decision about mating. Some members have no intention of mating, yet take part in interactions
• The later it is in the game, the lower the score must be in order to be sufficient for mating

Model configurability

• Minimum score to match-up
• The pace with which does one’s standard lowers as the game reaches later stages
• Weight of physical attraction/mental compatibility in scoring model
• The initial spatial distribution of actors

Goal variables

• Median compatibility score of matched-up actors
• Median number of turns for a match-up to happen
• Median number of interaction it takes to reach a match-up
• Percentage of actors able to find a match-up

Goals of the simulations are:

• Does the initial spatial distribution of actors significantly alter the median compatibility score of matched-up actors
• What is the average of interactions needed to reach a match-up?
• Does altering the number of actors with no mating intention increase the percentage of actors able to find a match-up?
• How aggressively do need the actors’ standards need to lower in order for vast majority of actors to find a match-up?

Jan Kratochvíl 18:17, 19 December 2014 (CET)~

I must confess I am usually quite sceptical to the assignments like this one for a couple of reasons. First, it is very hard to measure such soft parameters like "psysical attraction" and keep it in touch with reality. Second, I am not sure if a random walk is the best way how to simulate people searching for a partner. And finally, do the goals solve a real problem or they just follow an artificial reality of the simulation? Tomáš 00:26, 20 December 2014 (CET)