Authors:
Enrique Canessa
;
Sergio E. Chaigneau
and
Ariel Quezada
Affiliation:
Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Chile
Keyword(s):
Agent-based modelling, Shared meaning, Conceptual content, Markov chain.
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
Agents
;
Artificial Intelligence
;
Artificial Intelligence and Decision Support Systems
;
Bioinformatics
;
Biomedical Engineering
;
Distributed and Mobile Software Systems
;
Enterprise Information Systems
;
Information Systems Analysis and Specification
;
Knowledge Engineering and Ontology Development
;
Knowledge-Based Systems
;
Methodologies and Technologies
;
Multi-Agent Systems
;
Operational Research
;
Simulation
;
Software Engineering
;
Symbolic Systems
Abstract:
Generally, concepts are treated as individual-level phenomena. Here, we develop an ABM that treats concepts as group-level phenomena. We make simple assumptions: (1) Different versions exist of one similar conceptualization; (2) When we infer that our view agrees with someone else’s view, we are subject to true agreement (i.e., we really share the concept), but also to illusory agreement (i.e., we do not really share the concept); (3) Regardless whether agreement is true or illusory, it strengthens a concept’s salience in individual minds, and increases the probability of seeking future interactions with that person or source of information. When agents interact using these rules, our ABM shows that three conditions exist: (a) All versions of the same conceptualization strengthen their salience; (b) Some versions strengthen while others weaken their salience; (c) All versions weaken their salience. The same results are corroborated by developing probability models (conditional and Ma
rkov chain). Sensitivity analyses to various parameters, allow the derivation of intuitively correct predictions that support our model’s face validity. We believe the ABM and related mathematical models may explain the spread or demise of conceptualizations in social groups, and the emergence of polarized social views, all important issues to sociology and psychology.
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