Coevolutionary Dynamics in Social Networks and Activity-Travel Repertoires: Framework for Microsimulation

This paper describes how, through social interaction, people exchange information and influence each other’s behavior. The paper argues that social networks are formed and change over time in non-random ways and the paper also proposes a framework to incorporate the dynamics and impacts in micro-simulation of activity patterns. A core assumption of the proposed theory is that the utility a person derives from social interaction is a function of dimensions of social and information needs satisfied in the interaction. The extent to which dimensions of social needs are satisfied is a function of the degree of similarity between the persons involved in terms of their attributes and preferences, while satisfaction of information needs, for which social interactions tend to be instrumental, depend on cognitive factors. At the same time, persons tend to adapt their preferences so as to increase the utility they derive from their social networks. We derive the theory and models from basic principles and discuss results of a first round of simulations conducted to examine the behavior of the model.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Timmermans, Harry J P
  • Arentze, Theo
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 85th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2006-1-22 to 2006-1-26
• Date: 2006

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: 18p
• Monograph Title: TRB 85th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers CD-ROM

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Activity choices; Behavior; Cognition; Economic and social factors; Evolution; Information systems; Information technology; Microsimulation; Social factors; Travel behavior
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Economics; Environment; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Planning and Forecasting; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01023491
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 06-0289
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Apr 28 2006 8:11AM