Modeling social interactions between individuals for joint activity scheduling

Joint social activities, in particular those outside households, are currently ignored or modeled very simply in transport models, despite these sorts of activities contributing to a significant amount of travel. The authors describe an experimental model of social activities, in which individuals negotiate about the type, purpose, location, and days of activities. After participating in activities, individuals learn about new locations and acquaintances. Using concepts from the activity-based modeling and social networks fields, a prototype model was created using Python incorporating utility-based agents who used a protocol to communicate with each other about potential activities in order to negotiate a suitable day and location. It can be shown that agents with a large number of acquaintances participated in more activities. Pairs of agents with high similarity values, based on age and gender, also socialized with each other more often. Future work involves further development and validation and eventual incorporation into activity-based models.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191261511001433
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/01912615
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission from Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Ronald, Nicole
  • Arentze, Theo
  • Timmermans, Harry
• Publication Date: 2012-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 276-290
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Part B: Methodological
  • Volume: 46
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0191-2615
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/01912615

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Activity choices; Leisure time; Mathematical models; Social factors; Trip purpose
• Candidate Terms: Social networking
• Uncontrolled Terms: Activity generation; Agent based models
• Subject Areas: Planning and Forecasting; Transportation (General); I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01366021
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 23 2012 8:45AM