Usefulness of Agent-Based Simulation in Testing Collective Decision-Making Models

Political scientists seek to build more realistic Collective Decision-Making Models (henceforth CDMM) which are implemented as computer simulations. The starting point for this present chapter is the observation that efficient progress in this field may be being hampered by the fact that the implementation of these models as computer simulations may vary considerably and the code for these computer simulations is not usually made available. CDMM are mathematically deterministic formulations (i.e. without probabilistic inputs or outputs) and are aimed at explaining the behaviour of individuals involved in dynamic, collective negotiations with any number of policy decision-related issues. These CDMM differ from each other regarding the particular bargaining strategies implemented and tested in each model for how the individuals reach a collective binding policy agreement. The CDMM computer simulations are used to analyse the data and generate predictions of a collective decision. While the formal mathematical treatment of the models and empirical findings of CDMM are usually presented and discussed through peer-review journal publications, access to these CDMM implementations as computer simulations are often unavailable online nor easily accessed offline and this tends to dissuade cross fertilisation and learning in the field.