Modeling Complex Adaptive Social Behavior

描述(由申请人提供)：越来越多的人认识到，健康科学基础研究中的基本问题必须发展出越来越强大的理论方法，以便在多个组织层面上理解和控制复杂系统。这项研究从理论上、方法上和概念上将基于个人的建模扩展到个人、社会和群体行为的研究，从而解决了这一问题。这项拟议的研究是独一无二的，因为它的中心目标之一是从数据中进化模型(例如，使用模拟退火法或遗传算法)，从而产生行为类似于所研究的复杂生物体的代理个体。通过使用挪威幼鼠幼鼠来研究(I)群体动力学，(Ii)性别偏好，(Iii)群体和个人在温度梯度上的行为，(Iv)群体和个人在光照梯度上的行为，以及(V)温度和光照梯度的相互作用，拟议的研究的目标将被实现。最后，这些模型将被用来开发蒙特卡罗统计方法来研究复杂适应系统的行为发展。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There is growing recognition that fundamental issues in basic research in the health sciences must develop increasingly powerful theoretical approaches for both understanding and controlling complex systems at multiple levels of organization. The proposed research addresses this problem by extending, theoretically, methodologically, and conceptually, the use on individual-based modeling to the study of individual, social and group behavior. The proposed research is unique in that one of its central aims is to evolve models (e.g., using simulated annealing or genetic algorithms) from data, resulting in surrogate individuals that behave like the complex organisms studied. The goals of the proposed research will be achieved by using infant Norway rat pups to study (i) group dynamics, (ii) sex preferences, (iii) group and individual behavior on thermogradients, (iv) group and individual behavior on illumination gradients, and (v) the interaction of thermo- and illumination gradients. Finally, these models will be used to develop Monte Carlo statistical approaches for studying the behavioral development of complex adaptive systems.