when experimental and computational research meet: the participatory extension module v2.0
DESCRIPTION
Abstract: Experimental and computational research is gaining more and more interest in the last decades in the field of social science and economics. Conducting laboratory experiments and incorporating heterogeneity within agent-based models help us get a better understanding of the analyzed phenomena and the micro-macro rules driving them by taking the human factor into account -- either directly or through stylized personal preferences. Our contribution is a new tool called the Participatory Extension Module v2.0 which is intended to help scientists conducting mixed-method research (i.e., perform experimental research using existing agent-based models). It is an improved version of the original PET [1], a robust and generic web framework that allows modellers to extend their models to participatory simulations. It is a set of web applications that incorporates agent-based simulations into a web interface compatible with any of the major web browsers, enabling users to administrate, run and participate in simulations in a way that they are familiar with, applying the mechanisms and practices they use every day while browsing web-pages and using other web-based applications. Applications of PET v2.0 may include online case studies for demonstrative and teaching purposes, or the conduct of lab experiments for behavioural studies of a model. The presentation includes a hands-on live demo of the features of the framework using a widely known model. [1] Ivanyi, Marton, Rajmund Bocsi, Laszlo Gulyas, Vilmos Kozma and Richard Legendi. "The multi-agent simulation suite." In Emergent Agents and Socialities: Social and Organizational Aspects of Intelligence. Papers from the 2007 AAAI Fall Symposium, pp. 57-64. 2007.TRANSCRIPT
WHEN EXPERIMENTAL AND COMPUTATIONALRESEARCH MEET:
THE PARTICIPATORY EXTENSION MODULE V2.0
Richard O. Legendi, Tamás Máhr, László Gulyás,
Rajmund Bocsi, Vilmos Kozma, Peter Rieger{rlegendi, tmahr, lgulyas, rbocsi, vkozma, prieger}@aitia.ai
AITIA International, Inc.
41st World Congress of the International Institute of Sociology (IIS)Social Interaction: Experimental and Computational Analysis
9-10 June, 2013, Uppsala, Sweden, http://www.iisoc.org/iis2013
The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union, Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 under grant agreement no. CRISIS-ICT-2011-288501.
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DEMO
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The El Farol Bar Problem• Agents are researchers (N=100)• They visit a popular but small bar in Santa Fé
• If attendance > 60 (overcrowded)• Who hasn’t come
• If attendance <= 60 • Who hasn’t come
• Each day agents decide individually and in the same time
W. Brian Arthur, “Inductive Reasoning and Bounded Rationality”, American Economic Review (Papers and Proceedings), 84,406–411, 1994.
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The El Farol Bar Problem• MASON implementation of a NetLogo variant• Artifical agents:
• ARMA-based prediction with history
• Players have two actions: No go / go
• If +1 Score!• Goal: get max score
Rand, W. and Wilensky, U. (2007). NetLogo El Farol model. Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling, Northwestern Institute on Complex Systems, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. http://ccl.northwestern.edu/netlogo/models/ElFarol
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Let’s play!
http://demo1.aitia.ai/
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Model List
Create Experiments
Additional Info
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Admin Page (Admins are subjects too)
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Subject list(joined)
Admin tools
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In-experiment Admin Page
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Player status (moved/waiting)
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In-experiment Subject Page
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Status messages
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Post-experiment Scores
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Outline• Background
• The CRISIS project
• CRISIS Game• PET v2.0• Requirements• Future works
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Background: The CRISIS Project“The CRISIS project addresses building a next generation macroeconomic and financial system policymaking model: a bottom-up agent-based simulation that fully accounts for the heterogeneity of households, firms, and government actors. The model will incorporate the latest evidence from behavioral economics in portraying agent behavior, and the CRISIS team will also collect new data on agent decision making using experimental economics techniques. While any model must make simplifying assumptions about human behavior, the CRISIS model will be significantly more realistic in its portrayal of relevant agent behavior than the current generation of policymaking models.”
Crisis project description: https://www.crisis-economics.eu/
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Web-based Game(Participatory Experiments)
Economic Simulator(Cloud-Based Parameter
Sweep Execution)
ModellingFramework
Models
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CRISIS Game
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(Planned design)
http://game.crisis-economics.eu
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The Model Under the CRISIS Game
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Source: Domenico Delli Gatti, personal communications
(Single player mode)
Gatti, Domenico Delli, Saul Desiderio, Edoardo Gaffeo, Pasquale Cirillo, and Mauro Gallegati. Macroeconomics from the Bottom-up. 1st ed. Springer, 2011.
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Architecture
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PET v2.0• Idea came from AITIA's PET Software
• Participatory Extension
• Generalized components behind the CRISIS Game• Modern, scalable infrastructure
• Previous version is 5+ years old • Components may run on (several) different machines
• Software already available for any experiment
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PET v2.0• Can be used:
• Locally• Laboratory experiments• Policy makers (scenario analysis with a proper model)
• On any webserver to run constantly• Gather data (scores from model and all user actions replay)• Dissemination
• Questionnaire module• Verify if subjects understood the rules
• Software is already in use by Universiteit van Amsterdam
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REQUIREMENTS?
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What is required to use?
1. An ABM model• PET is a generic framework• Currently Java and MASON models are supported
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What is required to use?
1. An ABM model• PET is a generic framework• Currently Java and MASON models are supported
2. Development of the web interface• No restriction on tools (HTML5, GWT, ...)• Communication to server by standardized tools (AJAX)
• Config files to map incoming messages to model actions
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Future Works• Tools to support front-end creation
• JavaScript library (WIP)• User-friendly editor (flexible, easy to use)
• UI, questionnaire
• Tutorials, docs to be developed• Additional platforms
• +Your ideas?
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Interested?
• „A New Set of Tools Supporting Agent-Based Economic Modeling”, EPIA 2013 (under publication, ~Sept.)
• Statistical and Behavioral Model Analysis Tools.• Hands-on workshop @ ESSA 2013
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THANK YOU!• Questions?
• Will be available soon from http://iaws.aitia.ai/
• Download the software:• http://www.crisis-economics.eu/software
• Try the CRISIS Game• http://game.crisis-economics.eu
• Take a look on the El Farol model:• http://github.com/rlegendi/mason-examples
Richard O. [email protected]
http://people.inf.elte.hu/legendi/
June 10., 2013.
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The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union, Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 under grant agreement no. CRISIS-ICT-2011-288501.