Simulating Social Worlds
Free Workshop · Registration Open
Simulating Social Worlds
Social Simulations for Psychologists
Hands-on training in Python and social simulatiosn — from everyday decision problems to the evolution of human sociality. No prior programming experience required.
Wednesday & Thursday
Registration required
About the Workshop
Bringing simulation methods into psychological science
Social simulations and programming remain absent from most psychology training programmes. This constrains what students are able to ask of their data, and narrows their prospects across both academic and industry careers. This workshop, funded by The British Academy, is a direct response to that gap.
Over two days we move from the ground up: a Python foundation, then simulation as a way of reasoning about familiar real-world problems, then its application in psychological science, and finally agent-based models of cooperation and the evolution of human sociality. Sessions are practical throughout, and all teaching materials will be released openly after the event.
Four Areas of Focus
What the two days cover
Python crash course
An optional crash course for complete beginners, followed by the specific Python tooling used across the rest of the workshop.
Simulating real-world problems
Simulation as a way of thinking, built through classic everyday puzzles — queueing behaviour, the secretary problem, and related decision scenarios.
Simulation in psychological science
How social simulation complements experimental work, and the theoretical questions it can address that experiments alone cannot.
Evolution of human sociality
Agent-based models of cooperation, reciprocity, and the conditions under which human cooperation emerges and stabilises.
Programme
Two days with hands-on workshops and keynote talks
The Python crash course on Day 1 is optional — skip it and join us at 11:00 if you already use Python comfortably. Every other session forms the core programme, and we ask that you attend these in full.
The workshop takes place in Stewart House, Royal Holloway, University of London, 32 Russell Sq, London WC1B 5DN.
Coffee and refreshments will be provided. We aim to cover lunch on Day 2 and, if possible, on Day 1 as well. We will confirm this closer to the event.
- 09:30–10:00Registration
- 10:00–11:00Python crash course (TBA)
- 11:00–12:00TBA
- 12:00–13:00Lunch & late registration
- 13:00–14:00Social simulation workshop 1 (Hiro Imada)
- 14:00–14:30Coffee break
- 14:30–15:30Social simulation workshop 2 (Hiro Imada)
- 15:30Close of Day 1
- 10:00–11:00Using social simulations in psychological science (Hiro Imada)
- 11:00–11:30Coffee break
- 11:30–12:30Agent-based modelling and the evolution of cooperation 1 (Isamu Okada)
- 12:30–13:30Lunch break
- 13:30–14:30Agent-based modelling and the evolution of cooperation 2 (Isamu Okada)
- 14:30–15:00Coffee break
- 15:00–16:00Keynote lecture (TBA)
- 16:00Close of Day 2
Who Should Attend
Designed for early career psychologists
This workshop is aimed at early career researchers in psychology and closely related behavioural sciences — PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and early career PIs.
No prior experience with Python or social simulation is required. The programme is built from first principles, and we particularly welcome those for whom computational methods represent a genuinely new methodological direction.
- PhD students in psychology or a closely related behavioural science
- Postdoctoral researchers and research fellows in psychology or related fields
- Early career principal investigators, lecturers, and new group leaders in psychology or related fields
Registration
Register your place
Attendance is free, but places are limited and registration is required. Since our capacity is limited, please do NOT regiseter if you do not show up. Registration takes about three minutes.
If we are oversubscribed. Places will be allocated according to how closely each application matches the target group described above. We will confirm the outcome to everyone after registration closes.
All materials will be shared publicly. Slides, code, and exercises from every session will be released openly after the workshop, free to use and adapt — whether or not you were able to attend.
Organisers
Royal Holloway, University of London
Soka University
Royal Holloway, University of London
Questions? Contact Hirotaka.Imada@rhul.ac.uk
Part of the Social Simulation Project, CIP Lab.