Modeling the interdependence of Social Network Interactions and spatial choices

SNF Project Number 105212-112482

Project Partner

-

IVT Staff

J.K. Hackney

Client

SNF

Duration

07.2006-06.2008

Publication

Hackney, J.K. and K.W. Axhausen (2006) An agent model of social network and travel behavior interdependence, paper presented at the 11^th International Conference on Travel Behaviour Research, Kyoto, August 2006.

Abstract

A flexible, fast Java implementation for simulating social interactions and travel for tens of thousands of travellers was written and validated in the last year of the project. The simulation embeds social networks in the geographical context of daily travel behavior, enabling experimentation with the coupled system. The analysis modules for statistical and graphical output are based on the earlier work in this project.

The new tool can be used to generate large sets of social networks embedded in realistic activity-travel geographies. Given assumptions of agents' socializing behavior, the relationship between the emergent travel behavior and the social networks can be studied for signatures of interdependence that is not possible with real data. Scenarios can be used to generate output with no social influences, dominant social influences, and a mixture of influences which are attributable to geography as well as socializing.