Worlds of agents: Prospects of agent-based modeling for communication research

Agent-based computational models create virtual laboratories in which to formalize and simulate dynamic, multi-level theories of communication. They allow the systematic development of thought experiments, and they improve our understanding of the generative mechanisms that underlie patterns observed in empirical data. Simulation models help explore hypothetical and unprecedented scenarios, serving as powerful hypothesis generators for future theoretical and empirical research. This Special Issue showcases a collection of studies that demonstrate the analytical potential and methodological contribution of agent-based modeling (ABM) for media and communication research. In this introduction, we highlight five major benefits of this modeling approach to communication scholarship: (1) formalization, (2) understanding, (3) explanation, (4) prediction, and (5) exploration. We then present the four studies of this special issue, which contribute methodologically and theoretically to diverse key areas of communication: the emergence of meanings; political deliberation; information diffusion; and media use and social influence. We conclude with outlining future perspectives of ABM in communication research.