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Staged Models for Interdisciplinary Research

Author

Listed:
  • Luis F Lafuerza
  • Louise Dyson
  • Bruce Edmonds
  • Alan J McKane

Abstract

Modellers of complex biological or social systems are often faced with an invidious choice: to use simple models with few mechanisms that can be fully analysed, or to construct complicated models that include all the features which are thought relevant. The former ensures rigour, the latter relevance. We discuss a method that combines these two approaches, beginning with a complex model and then modelling the complicated model with simpler models. The resulting “chain” of models ensures some rigour and relevance. We illustrate this process on a complex model of voting intentions, constructing a reduced model which agrees well with the predictions of the full model. Experiments with variations of the simpler model yield additional insights which are hidden by the complexity of the full model. This approach facilitated collaboration between social scientists and physicists—the complex model was specified based on the social science literature, and the simpler model constrained to agree (in core aspects) with the complicated model.

Suggested Citation

  • Luis F Lafuerza & Louise Dyson & Bruce Edmonds & Alan J McKane, 2016. "Staged Models for Interdisciplinary Research," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(6), pages 1-16, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0157261
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0157261
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. José Manuel Galán & Luis R. Izquierdo & Segismundo S. Izquierdo & José Ignacio Santos & Ricardo del Olmo & Adolfo López-Paredes & Bruce Edmonds, 2009. "Errors and Artefacts in Agent-Based Modelling," Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, vol. 12(1), pages 1-1.
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