Social Consequences of Commitment

This paper begins with a detailed computational introduction to a classic ACE model: an evolutionary prisoner's dilemma. The paper presents a simple but fully coded object oriented implementation of this model. (We use the Python programming language, which is shown to be a natural ally for ACE research). Using these tools, we demonstrate that player type evolution is affected by cardinal payoffs. We then explore a possible social benefit to commitment, where 'commitment' denotes an unwillingness to surrender a reciprocal strategy.ACE; agent-based; computational economics; iterated prisoner's dilemma; evolutionary prisoner's dilemma; commitment

The Structure of Neoclassical Consumer Theory

This paper offers an accessible introductory survey of the application of abstract choice theory to consumer theory. In the process, the paper identifires---somewhat more carefully than is usual in the literature--- the relatively small role of the rationality postulates and the relatively large role of the ad hoc assumptions that are required to produce the minimal structure of neoclassical consumer theory. (This structure is that Marshallian demand obeys the weak axiom of revealed preference in budget data). Finally, this paper serves as a reminder that economists should abandon the behaviorist aspirations and claims that they have repeatedly, but incorrectly, associated with abstract choice theory.abstract choice theory, consumer theory, neoclassical economics

Simulating Evolutionary Games: A Python-Based Introduction

This paper is an introduction to agent-based simulation using the Python programming language. The core objective of the paper is to enable students, teachers, and researchers immediately to begin social-science simulation projects in a general purpose programming language. This objective is facilitated by design features of the Python programming language, which we very briefly discuss. The paper has a 'tutorial' component, in that it is enablement-focused and therefore strongly application-oriented. As our illustrative application, we choose a classic agent-based simulation model: the evolutionary iterated prisoner's dilemma. We show how to simulate the iterated prisoner's dilemma with code that is simple and readable yet flexible and easily extensible. Despite the simplicity of the code, it constitutes a useful and easily extended simulation toolkit. We offer three examples of this extensibility: we explore the classic result that topology matters for evolutionary outcomes, we show how player type evolution is affected by payoff cardinality, and we show that strategy evaluation procedures can affect strategy persistence. Social science students and instructors should find that this paper provides adequate background to immediately begin their own simulation projects. Social science researchers will additionally be able to compare the simplicity, readability, and extensibility of the Python code with comparable simulations in other languages.Agent-Based Simulation, Python, Prisoner's Dilemma

The ABM Template Models -- A Reformulation with Reference Implementations

This paper refines a well-known set of template models for agent-based modeling and offers new reference implementations. It also addresses issues of design, flexibility, and ease of use that are relevant to the choice of an agent-based modeling platform.

The Behavioral Life-Cycle Theory Of Consumer Behavior: Survey Evidence

We find that survey evidence on faculty pay-cycle choice strongly contradicts the neoclassical theory of consumer behavior. It is more favorable to the behavioral life-cycle theory of Shefrin and Thaler (1988).behavioral life-cycle theory, consumer behavior, survey evidence

TYPOLOGY AND POLICY FOR SMALL FARMS

Agricultural and Food Policy,

Transonic turbine blade cascade testing facility

NASA LeRC has designed and constructed a new state-of-the-art test facility. This facility, the Transonic Turbine Blade Cascade, is used to evaluate the aerodynamics and heat transfer characteristics of blade geometries for future turbine applications. The facility's capabilities make it unique: no other facility of its kind can combine the high degree of airflow turning, infinitely adjustable incidence angle, and high transonic flow rates. The facility air supply and exhaust pressures are controllable to 16.5 psia and 2 psia, respectively. The inlet air temperatures are at ambient conditions. The facility is equipped with a programmable logic controller with a capacity of 128 input/output channels. The data acquisition system is capable of scanning up to 1750 channels per sec. This paper discusses in detail the capabilities of the facility, overall facility design, instrumentation used in the facility, and the data acquisition system. Actual research data is not discussed

THE VALUE OF CLEAN DAIRY AIR: ACCOUNTING FOR ENDOGENEITY AND SPATIALLY CORRELATED ERRORS IN A HEDONIC ANALYSES OF THE IMPACT OF ANIMAL OPERATIONS ON LOCAL PROPERTY VALUES

We study the effect of livestock operations on property values using a hedonic analysis in five Ohio townships. Unlike previous studies, we account for endogenous livestock location variables and spatially correlated errors. Results suggest failure to correct for these problems results in biased estimates of livestock impacts on property values.Land Economics/Use,